Category: English

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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I started an online relationship with my boss. Meeting up in person? Yeah, that’s never gonna happen. She has no idea that the person she’s been flirting with online is one of her employees… Lately, my boss has been in a terrible mood. Everyone in the office has noticed, and the tension is palpable. Even the usual slackers have been on their best behavior, barely daring to check their phones. She’s been working overtime like a machine, and of course, no one dares to leave before her. So, we’ve all been stuck at the office until 11 or 12 at night. I’ve got dark circles under my eyes, and my skin is starting to break out. But here’s the kicker: I’m probably the only one in the company who knows why she’s so irritable. It’s because my boss just got dumped. And, well… the person who “dumped” her is me. She just doesn’t know it yet. It all started with my two-year online relationship. We met on a forum—she had posted a thread titled, ”Why Can’t I Find a Partner?” Curious, I clicked in. Her post read: ”Female, 5’9”, 99 pounds, 25 years old, Ivy League graduate in Management Science and Engineering. Currently a VP at a Fortune 500 company, earning a seven-figure salary. I own a house, a car, and I’m gorgeous. Still single. What am I doing wrong?” The comments were ruthless. “Obvious bait post. Move along.” “Seriously? A 25-year-old VP? Either it’s daddy’s company or it’s daddy’s company.” “Come on, at least make your lies believable.” Amused, I left a comment: ”Maybe it’s your looks. Why not post a picture?” I didn’t think much of it and logged off. A few hours later, she sent me a private message. “Hi, can I send you the photo privately?” I was confused but intrigued. “Sure,” I replied, figuring this could be entertaining. A moment later, a photo popped up. I nearly spat my coffee all over my desk. 5’9”? Yeah, maybe in her dreams. She looked closer to 5’2”. The photo was a poorly angled mirror selfie. She had her face partially covered, wore thick black-framed glasses, and looked like a walking advertisement for outdated fashion choices. But… her features were undeniably stunning. The lips, the nose, the eyes—they all screamed ”hidden beauty.” She just didn’t know how to present herself. And for some reason, she looked oddly familiar. Thinking, ”Who knew there were gorgeous women out there so oblivious to their own potential?” I decided to help. Out of the goodness of my heart, of course. I zoomed in and out of the photo a few times before typing out a long response: ”You need to work on your style. Change the glasses—go for rimless or contacts. Don’t take photos from that angle; tilt your phone slightly so the charging port faces you. Swap the skirt for something shorter—maybe black. And for the love of God, invest in better lighting.” She replied with a simple, ”Thank you so much!” I didn’t think much of it and moved on. The next day, she sent me an updated “homework submission,” following all my advice. Then she did it again the day after that. And the day after that. By the fifth day, I was starting to get annoyed. That’s when she asked if she could pay me for my “consultation services” and requested my personal messaging info. I thought, ”Why not? Money’s money,” and gave her my private account. A moment later, a familiar profile picture popped up with a friend request. It was my boss. I froze. My finger slipped, and before I could stop myself, I hit “accept.” Panic set in immediately. I switched my settings to “chat only” and prayed she wouldn’t figure out who I was. A message popped up: ”Thank you so much for all your advice. Here’s a small token of my appreciation.” Then she sent me $5,000 with the note, ”Gift—no strings attached.” I stared at the screen in silence. I double-checked her profile picture and the online photos she’d sent me. Yep. No doubt about it. My gorgeous online crush was, in fact, my boss. “Well, damn,” I thought, accepting the money. ”At least she doesn’t know it’s me.” From that point on, I kept helping her improve her style. She caught on fast, and soon, she was radiating confidence. But just as I was preparing to quietly fade out of her life, she threw me a curveball. She confessed her feelings. It started with a long, emotional message—a “love letter,” if you will. I skimmed past all the fluff until I got to the last line: “I’ve been wanting to tell you this for a long time… I like you.” I froze. “Thanks,” I replied after a long pause. “What?” she asked. “I appreciate it!” I typed back. “No, I’m serious. I really like you.” “And I really appreciate it! Thanks!” She was silent for a moment before messaging again: ”Can I at least have a chance to pursue you?” I didn’t reply. That night, I couldn’t sleep. The next morning, she started sending me good morning messages. Then good afternoon messages. Then good night messages. She kept me updated on her day like we were already dating: ”I’m heading to work,” ”I just got to the office,” ”I’m about to start a meeting.” Her persistence was… unique, to say the least. I half-heartedly responded here and there, and somehow, that only encouraged her more. A month later, things took an unexpected turn. I was scrolling through social media, admiring photos of models, when I accidentally shared one with her instead of my buddy. “God, she’s gorgeous. I’d totally lick the screen,” I wrote, followed by, ”Here’s the video.” She replied almost instantly. “???”

By the time I saw the message, it was already too late to unsend it. Sure, appreciating beauty is human nature, but for some reason, I felt a pang of guilt. Then, she suddenly sent a message: “Is this your type?” Attached was a video. It looked freshly recorded at a gym. Not the overly sculpted type of body, but smooth, pale skin with a beautifully defined V-line disappearing just below her workout shorts. As for up top… Let’s just say, it was pink. The person in the video seemed a little shy—by the end of the clip, her face was flushed bright red. I was hooked. “Got more? Send me another!” I replied instantly. She hesitated but eventually sent a few more videos, each one more dazzling than the last. I admit, I was completely seduced by her beauty. Who would’ve thought that my boss, who always carried herself with such restraint and composure, could be… so… well, like this in private? How do I describe it? It was strangely thrilling. Just as I was thoroughly enjoying myself, another message popped up. “If you agree to be my boyfriend, I’ll send you videos like this every day. As many as you want.” People spend their lives chasing four things: money, power, fame, and beauty. The first three don’t mean much to me, but the last one? That’s my kryptonite. “Well… I guess I could consider it,” I replied. After all, it was just an online relationship, right? Of course, I set some ground rules: no public announcements, no changing profile pictures, no video calls, and absolutely no meeting in real life. She wasn’t thrilled about the conditions but eventually agreed. And that’s how it started. We dated online for two years. As she got better at styling herself and presenting her beauty, I was more than happy to reap the benefits. Her photos and videos became increasingly breathtaking, with her pulling off every look I suggested. I thought this arrangement could last forever—until one day, she asked to meet in person. “Didn’t we agree from the start that there’d be no meeting up? This is strictly an online thing,” I reminded her. She sounded hurt. “I know, I’m sorry… but I really want to see you.” I knew exactly why she was pushing this. A couple of days earlier, I’d gone to a college reunion. Afterward, one of my old classmates confessed her feelings for me. I turned her down politely, but she didn’t take it well and started sending me a bunch of gross, cringy messages. Fed up, I screenshotted everything, posted it on my social media, and dragged her through the mud before blocking her. Since I was in a relationship (well, “online”), my boss must’ve seen the post. I figured she wanted to “meet up” to stake her claim publicly. But I had my reasons for not meeting her. There was no way I was going to agree. After dodging her attempts for a week, I finally got fed up and broke up with her. She freaked out. Completely deflated, like a balloon with the air punched out of it. My phone lit up with her calls for the nth time. I sighed, flipped it face-down on the table, and ignored it. That’s when Kenneth, my direct supervisor, called me over. “Mason, take this proposal to Aurora.” Kenneth’s crush on Aurora was the worst-kept secret in the entire office. Normally, he’d jump at any excuse to see her, but lately, she’d been in a terrible mood. The last time he tried comforting her, she snapped at him so hard he practically fled the room. I winced. “Kenneth, isn’t this a bit above my pay grade? Shouldn’t you be the one to—” “Just do it, man. Don’t make me repeat myself.” …Fine. Even though I’d basically seen all of Aurora online, meeting her in person was still nerve-wracking. Especially at work, where she was known for being strict, sharp-tongued, and downright intimidating. I hesitated, and then picked up my phone. Since breaking up with her, she’d been bombarding me with apologies. I hadn’t responded—not because I didn’t care, but because I needed to cool things down. I quickly typed out a message: “We don’t have to break up, but can you please just behave? I really don’t like it when people break promises.” Her reply came instantly: “Baby, you’re finally talking to me! I’m so sorry! I’ll never do it again, I promise!” She even added a crying puppy emoji. I sighed, steeling myself before knocking on her office door. There was a moment of silence before I heard her clear her throat and say, “Come in.” Her red nose caught my attention the moment I stepped in. Had she been crying? She noticed my gaze and awkwardly tapped her desk. “Dropping off the proposal? Leave it here and head back.” Her tone was noticeably softer than usual—if this were any other day, she’d have snapped at me for going over Kenneth’s head. Still, the proposal wasn’t up to her standards and got sent back for revisions. Naturally, Kenneth dumped it back on me. That Friday, everyone else left early, excited for the weekend. Aurora had left on time for once, and the office quickly emptied, leaving just me and the receptionist. I stayed behind to work on the proposal, promising the receptionist I’d lock up when I was done. It was well past 10 PM when I heard the sound of the door unlocking. My heart jumped. Who could it be at this hour? Images from horror movies flashed through my mind. I gulped, telling myself ghosts didn’t exist, but I still froze, holding my breath. Then, a familiar figure stepped into view. It was Aurora. “Why are you still here? Don’t you have a home to go to?” she asked, clearly surprised. I bit back a retort—Whose fault do you think this is? “The proposal’s due soon, and I didn’t want to risk it being incomplete tomorrow. Figured I’d stay late and finish it.” Her expression softened. “Oh, that one. Let me help you out. It’ll go faster if I explain what I want directly.” I froze. My computer was logged into my personal account—the one I used to message her. She walked over. “Pull it up for me. I’ll take a look.” Panic set in. My mind raced as I stalled for time. “Wait a second!” I blurted.

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I had been Alexander Turner’s secret lover for three years when I discovered I was pregnant. Alexander said he didn’t like children and was preparing to get engaged to a wealthy heiress from a suitable family. Not wanting to lose my baby, I quietly packed my bags and disappeared with his money in the middle of the night. After leaving New York, I raised my son alone for four years. The little rascal grew up to be incredibly handsome, his striking looks making him an overnight internet sensation. I built a career around my son’s popularity, becoming a successful livestreamer. When people discovered I was a single mother, I had to explain to save face: “I’m a widow.” I proved that a woman doesn’t need a man to live well, gaining a large following of independent female fans. Until one day, I noticed something familiar about the profile picture and IP address of my top supporter… It couldn’t be such a coincidence, could it? How could Alexander Turner be watching my livestreams? That serious, stoic man I once knew? To my shock, he showed up at my door that very night. He pinned me against the wall, his eyes blazing with anger as he growled through gritted teeth: “A widow? I didn’t realize I was dead.” With one hand, he grabbed my son by the collar and held him in front of me. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at me and demanded: “And what exactly is this?”

My name is Sage Brown, and I was the secret lover of business tycoon Alexander Turner. For three years, our arrangement had been mutually satisfactory. Until today. I went to his office, excited yet nervous, clutching my positive pregnancy test. Alexander was still in a meeting, so his secretary told me to wait in his office. I couldn’t help but notice a wedding dress catalog next to his computer. When had Alexander started looking at wedding dresses? My heart fluttered. Maybe he remembered my offhand comment about wanting to do a wedding photoshoot someday. Perhaps he did care about me after all. But just then, I glimpsed his tall figure through the window, walking arm-in-arm with a woman. I recognized her from the photos I’d secretly seen in Alexander’s private album – she was Chloe, the woman he’d always idealized. I lowered my head and laughed bitterly at myself. Of course Alexander wouldn’t remember something I’d said in passing. His perfect woman was back, he was looking at wedding dresses… he was getting married? I grew up in a blended family. After my mom left, my dad married another woman and had a son. So from a young age, I lived with my grandfather in the countryside. Later, when my grandfather had a stroke and was hospitalized, I was on my own. In college, I had to earn my own tuition and living expenses, plus money for my grandfather’s medical bills. The summer of my junior year, I heard that waitressing at nightclubs paid well – one night’s work could equal 3-4 days at a fast food joint. I couldn’t resist and went to interview as a waitress. That night, I happened to serve Alexander Turner’s private room. He happened to be drunk after a breakup. He pulled me into a hotel suite. The next morning, my legs were so sore I could barely walk. My manager thought I was slacking off since I’d disappeared all night and hadn’t done my other assigned work. I was fired on the spot. I couldn’t explain what had really happened. I could only ask Alexander to compensate me for my lost wages. Alexander was very generous. He immediately offered me a high-paying job – if I took good care of him, I could earn over $10,000 a month. It was a shameful arrangement. But I couldn’t let my limited dignity get in the way of money. I’d already given Alexander my virginity, so there was no point in being coy. Besides, Alexander was tall and handsome, with washboard abs and bronze skin. He looked like a male model straight out of a blockbuster film. Sleeping with him wasn’t exactly a hardship! After two seconds of consideration, I agreed and signed the contract. He paid me $30,000 a month. I had to be available whenever he called and take good care of his needs. When we signed the agreement, he told me not to develop any feelings for him. He wouldn’t take responsibility. He didn’t want love, and I pretended I didn’t either. For three years, I only talked about money and pretended in front of him. Now the woman he loved was back, and he was getting married. He didn’t need me anymore. We couldn’t even talk about money between us now. And at this most inconvenient time, I’d gotten pregnant. This baby’s timing couldn’t have been worse. Disappointed, I folded up the pregnancy test results and put them in my bag. Just then, Alexander pushed open the office door. I looked up at him. Impeccably dressed in his suit, handsome as ever, with that hint of coolness in his chiseled features. He walked to his desk and sat down, asking me: “What did you want to see me about?” I’d originally planned to tell him about the pregnancy. But now it didn’t seem necessary. He was getting engaged. Our arrangement would end soon. He definitely wouldn’t let me keep the baby growing in my belly. But I’d been his mistress for three years, hiding my shameful status. I was no longer the innocent girl I once was. My heart had no room for other men now. This child might be my only family in the future. I couldn’t give it up. I walked over to Alexander’s side and poured him a glass of water. I made up an excuse: “I saw a jewelry set I liked.” Alexander pulled me into his arms, his voice low and magnetic: “What jewelry? Wasn’t the set I bought you last time enough?” “Olvis just released a new diamond and jade necklace. It’s not that expensive, only about $200,000. I really want it.” “I’ll have my secretary take you to buy it later.” I pretended to be delighted and gave him a quick kiss. “Thank you, Alexander.” A barely perceptible smile crossed Alexander’s handsome face. His warm fingertips caressed my cheek. His thick lashes lowered as his gaze roamed suggestively over my lips. “Is that all?” As his kept woman for three years, the most important skill was anticipating the patron’s desires. I could see what Alexander wanted. I smiled coyly and sat on his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck. I timidly leaned in to kiss him. Just sitting there, he gave off an intimidating aura. As our cool lips met, I could smell a hint of pine. He quickly took control, holding my waist tightly as his hot tongue parted my lips. As we embraced, I could feel his heated breath. He finally lost control and carried me to the rest area, pressing me beneath him. Suddenly, I felt a twinge in my lower abdomen. My mind cleared instantly. I carefully protected my belly and pushed him away. He frowned at me in annoyance. I quickly explained: “Um… I just got my period…” “Wasn’t that supposed to be next week?” He scrutinized me as if he knew I was lying. I panicked but forced myself to sound confident: “I’ve been staying up late recently. My cycle is irregular. Is that not allowed?” Hearing this, he gently moved off me. His tone carried a rare hint of complaint: “Then why did you come to seduce me?” He sat up and straightened his rumpled suit and tie. I also got up and fixed my appearance. Unable to resist, I asked: “Alexander, do you like children?” “No,” he answered promptly and decisively. As expected. My heart sank. Then he looked at me and asked: “Why bring that up suddenly?” I forced a laugh, my voice soft and slightly hoarse: “Oh, it’s nothing. I just saw an adorable little boy who was lost outside the apartment building earlier.” “Do you want children?” Alexander looked me up and down. “No, no. I just thought he was cute. If I had to give birth myself, no thanks.” “Good. It’s better that way.” Alexander said this and walked out of the rest area, perfectly put-together again. I quickly followed him out. After leaving the office, I became determined to leave. I checked my bank account balance. I only had $500,000. That was far from enough for me. My grandfather was still in the hospital, and I needed to cover his medical expenses. Even if I left for a while, I had to leave enough money for grandpa’s care. The $500,000 I had would go to grandpa. After all, I’d need a year to have the baby. I could only come back to see grandpa after a year. So now I had to get enough money from Alexander to cover my pregnancy and the baby’s first year. But it was really difficult to get that much money in a short time. I was pregnant and would start showing soon. I didn’t have much time left by Alexander’s side. After thinking it over, I decided to sell all the jewelry and bags he’d bought me over the years. I took them to a shop to get cash. After the shop owner finished appraising all my jewelry and bags, he gave me an estimate. $500,000. I was shocked. These were all luxury items, some even limited editions. When Alexander bought them for me, he’d spent millions. How could they only be worth $500,000 now? The owner explained that he could only offer that much because these items depreciate as soon as they’re used. Unlike gold, they don’t hold their value. Disappointed, I gave the owner my account number. Just as the money hit my account and I turned to leave, an elegantly dressed middle-aged woman called out to me. I turned and saw it was Helen Turner, Alexander’s mother. I suddenly felt nervous. “Sage, are you that desperate for money? It seems my son hasn’t been treating you very well,” she said mockingly. “No, that’s not it,” I answered softly. The pressure from this older woman and wealthy socialite was overwhelming. I instinctively wanted to leave. “Wait, I have something to discuss with you.” Inside a coffee shop. Helen Turner casually tossed a check on the table in front of me. She said disdainfully, “Alexander is about to get engaged. Here’s a million dollars. I want you to leave him.” I immediately picked up the million-dollar check from the table, unable to hide my joy. I was thrilled. With this million plus my $500,000, it would be enough for me and my baby to live on for a long time. Helen Turner’s expression changed from contempt to scorn as she watched my reaction. “A million buys you off so easily? I thought you’d demand more.” I didn’t care about her opinion of me. All I could think about was the million dollars in my hand. With this money, I could leave Alexander right away. “Thank you, Mrs. Turner. I’ll keep my promise. I absolutely won’t have any more…” “Won’t have any more what?” A cold voice suddenly rang out beside me. I turned to see Alexander’s exquisitely handsome face. My body froze. I inhaled sharply. “What kind of deal are you making?” Alexander’s gaze swept over the check in my hand. His thin lips pressed together, his eyes icy. I immediately lowered my head, not daring to look at him.

Helen Turner proudly said, “Son, look at this woman. A million dollars is enough for her to leave you. She only wanted our family’s money.” Alexander let out a cold laugh and roughly grabbed my hand, dragging me to his car. He glared at me, his eyes filled with rage. “The check.” Terrified and silent, I carefully handed it over with both hands. He took it and tore the check to shreds. My heart bled, but I didn’t dare show any reaction. His piercing eyes turned to me, filled with indecipherable emotion. “Does it hurt? Sage, am I only worth a million to you?” My heart clenched. I didn’t know why he was putting on this show of hurt and accusing me of betrayal. He was the one who said we’d only talk about money, not feelings. Now that I was talking about money, why was he angry? He was the one getting engaged. I didn’t answer his question. A million might be pocket change to him, but to an ordinary person like me, it could be everything. I’m very dissatisfied with him now, but I can only try to please him, after all, I haven’t gotten the money yet. “You’re getting engaged, aren’t you?” I lowered my voice, my eyes filling with tears. I looked pitiful and vulnerable. Seeing me like this, the coldness in Alexander’s eyes lessened, replaced by a somewhat guilty and reluctant look. After a long moment, he uttered three words: “Maybe so.” What did he mean, maybe? He was clearly getting engaged, yet he was still pretending to care deeply for me. I deliberately let tears fall silently, looking devastated. “We’ve been together for three years. My feelings for you are more intense than I imagined. But I respect your choice. I hope you’ll always be happy.” Now it was my turn to stand on the moral high ground and reproach him. Hearing my words, Alexander was overwhelmed with guilt. His embrace tightened. “I’m sorry.” “I know it was my mother who forced you to leave me. I’ll transfer the million from my own account. If anyone needs to compensate you, it should be me.” It worked! I let out a huge sigh of relief. My anxious heart settled down again. Thankfully the million I’d been promised hadn’t slipped away. We were both silent for a long while. He suddenly looked up at me tenderly, seeming conflicted as he spoke: “Let’s… let’s break up next month.” What the hell? Since when could breakups be scheduled in advance? At that moment, I was truly furious. Alexander acted so proper, but was he treating me like a robot? But the money hadn’t hit my account yet, so I didn’t dare act out. I could only nestle against him like a little bird, pretending to love him deeply. “Even though I’ll miss you terribly, I’ll do as you say.” Hearing my words, Alexander felt even more guilty. He pressed his face close to mine and said softly, “I’m sorry.”

For the next few days after returning home, I had to pretend nothing had happened and continue taking care of him attentively. Today was Alexander’s birthday. Alexander was very picky about food and only ate custom birthday cakes from Crown Bakery. I wanted to surprise him, so I’d secretly been learning from the private chefs at Crown. I hoped he would enjoy a cake I made myself. Early this morning, I went to Crown planning to personally make a cake to bring back. As luck would have it, I ran into Chloe Parker, Alexander’s ideal woman, before I even started baking. I instinctively wanted to avoid her. But to my surprise, she recognized me. “Sage, right?” Since she knew who I was, there was no point in hiding. She was from a wealthy family – finding out my identity would have been child’s play for her. “I didn’t realize Miss Parker knew me,” I replied casually, gathering baking tools and ingredients. “Are you making a special cake for Alexander?” She watched me with displeasure, as if I wasn’t taking her seriously. I let out a noncommittal “Mm-hmm.” “I’ve already pre-ordered Alexander’s birthday cake. There’s no need for you to make one. No one will eat a cake you make – it would just go to waste.” Hearing her words, I felt angry. I snapped back at her, “How do you know no one will eat it? Alexander can eat yours during the day and mine at night. After all, he spends every night at my place. His relationship with me is much closer than with you.” Chloe’s face darkened. “How vulgar!” “How could Alexander get involved with a woman like you?” “Why don’t you go ask him? Why are you questioning me?” I ignored her and continued working, infuriating her so much she stomped away. I’d spent Alexander’s birthdays alone with him for the past three years. Now that his ideal woman was back, he didn’t need me anymore. But that was fine. If he didn’t eat it, I’d eat it myself. I’d been craving cake lately anyway. Cake-making was difficult. My decorating skills were terrible, and it took over a dozen attempts to get it right. But I was very interested in learning, and the chef was patient, teaching me again and again. By the time I finished a successful cake and returned home, it was already afternoon. Due to the pregnancy, I’d been extremely sleepy lately. After a morning of baking, I was exhausted. I fell asleep as soon as I lay down. When I woke up, the sky outside was already dark. An inexplicable loneliness washed over me. The house was utterly silent, and a sense of loss swept through me. Alexander hadn’t come back. In his heart, Chloe was clearly the most important. No doubt he was happily blowing out candles with her right now. I closed my eyes, trying to fall back asleep. But suddenly the mattress dipped beside me, and a familiar scent of pine enveloped me. I opened my eyes to hear a warm, magnetic voice: “You’re awake? Aren’t you going to celebrate my birthday?” I looked at that familiar yet strange handsome face. My nose tingled inexplicably, and my heart filled with grievance. Tears welled up in my eyes as I asked in a thick voice, “Why did you come back so late?” Alexander raised an eyebrow. “I got off work at 4:30 and came straight back. I’ve been waiting for you to wake up for almost two hours.” “I thought you weren’t coming back.” “Why wouldn’t I come back? Didn’t you say last time you had a surprise for me? Don’t tell me you didn’t prepare anything!” “Oh, I did prepare something.” I quickly got up and went to the living room to take the large cake I’d made out of the fridge. “Ta-da! I made this for you myself. Is it a good surprise?” I asked with a smile. “It looks great. You must have put a lot of effort into it.” “I did. So where’s my reward?” I pouted playfully. “I’ll have my secretary transfer a million dollars to your account, plus the deed to this apartment.” Hearing the unexpected gift of property, I couldn’t contain my excitement. But I had to act very sad. “Alexander, I don’t care about those things.” He gently cupped my face and kissed me. “But I care. I want to make it up to you.” We happily ate the cake together, then cuddled on the couch to watch TV. Alexander usually only ate a small piece of cake on his birthday, but today he surprisingly ate a lot. I rested my head on his lap. Looking up, I could see his perfect jawline. This man may not be a good man, but his looks were certainly top-tier among men. Thinking this, I touched my flat belly. My baby would surely grow up to be beautiful too. Alexander said he came home right after work. Did that mean he didn’t eat cake with Chloe? Could it be that he still cared for me? Thinking this, I couldn’t help calling his name. He was engrossed in the movie and just let out an indulgent “Mm?” without looking down. “If I got pregnant, would you want the baby?” “Are you pregnant?” He finally looked down, his large hand covering my belly as he gazed at me intently. I felt my heart race at the heat of his palm on my stomach. “No… I’m just saying if.” Alexander thought for a few seconds. “I don’t want children, and I don’t like them. But if there was one…” I listened intently, waiting for the rest of his sentence. But we were interrupted by a familiar ringtone. Alexander’s phone rang. He hesitated for a moment before answering. I faintly heard Chloe’s voice on the other end. My heart sank. Alexander’s tone remained very calm. He only spoke a few sentences before hanging up. I wondered if the two of them had a fight. Is that why Alexander came to me? Sure enough, after hanging up, Alexander said, “Sage, I need to go back to the family home for a bit. Don’t wait up for me tonight. Get some sleep.” I softly replied “Oh” and stared blankly at the door as it closed behind him. He was probably going to be with Chloe now.

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When I gained the ability to read minds, Keith Portillo, who had been looking out for me for years, thought to himself, “Too bad I didn’t put a camera in her bathroom…” Keith had looks, wealth, and a gentle personality. I thought I had misheard him, but I found a tiny camera in my bathroom the next day. In the midst of my panic, Anthony Osborne, the pure-hearted guy who had been chasing me for half a year, suddenly showed up at my door. He thought, “If you don’t say yes today, I’ll just put you to sleep. I’ve wasted too much time.” My head buzzed, and with trembling hands, I smiled awkwardly and let him in. The young man sat on the couch and gave me a shy smile. “Eliza, I bought the Mille-feuille you like.” He handed me the dessert, and the bashful look in his eyes made it hard to refuse. My mind-reading ability wasn’t always reliable. But the moment Anthony walked through the door, it stopped working. A chill ran through me. I acted as casually as I could, placing the dessert on the coffee table. “Thank you. What brings you over today?” With his light brown eyes, Anthony looked at me and smiled sheepishly, “For you, I always have time…” Then, just like always, he hesitantly asked if I would be his girlfriend. I instinctively turned him down, and I could see the sadness flash across his face. But thinking of the thought I had heard when I opened the door, I suddenly felt a little uneasy. “I knew it would be like this,” he sighed softly, changing the subject. “I waited in line for a long time to get this Mille-feuille. Try it, Eliza.” I was afraid he might do something drastic if I rejected him again. So I took a bite of the Mille-feuille and said it was sweet. Anthony stared at me intently with a strange smile. “Is it?” I froze. The dessert felt like sand in my mouth, and it was almost impossible to swallow. Oh no.

Ding ding ding… My phone rang just as Anthony shed his harmless disguise and began to eye me with a predatory gaze. I quickly dropped the second piece of Mille-feuille and answered the call. “The club has an event tomorrow. Can I come by puck you up to help set up?” Keith’s voice felt like a lifeline, bringing me relief. I immediately agreed. After hanging up, I realized my palms were covered in cold sweat. I didn’t even notice when Anthony had moved closer and sat beside me. Suddenly, his strong arms wrapped around me. “Eliza, I really like you,” he said, resting his head on my shoulder and sounding a little aggrieved. “Can’t you give me a chance?” I swallowed hard, too scared to move. “Keith’s about to be downstairs. Let’s talk later…” “Keith Portillo?” His arms tightened around me. I tried to push him away, but he suddenly grabbed my neck and forcefully pushed me down onto the couch. “I can’t take it anymore. You’re always so close to him. Do you like him?” I thought, “You are the same to me.” “No, he’s just a friend. Get off me.” Before I even finished speaking, a violent kiss shocked me into silence. I struggled with all my strength, but he didn’t move an inch. I was about to suffocate when he finally pulled back. “Eliza, I’ve been chasing you for so long, but you still don’t like me… “What should I do with you?”

My father died in a car accident during my sophomore year, and I spent every day in sorrow. That was until Keith appeared. He was like a big brother to me, comforting me and helping me get out of the shadow of losing my father. Over time, I became more and more dependent on him. Looking back, he was like a patient hunter. Everything he did was to make me walk willingly into his trap. Now, even though I knew he was as dangerous as Anthony, I felt that no one but him could give me peace. “Your lip… How did it get wounded?” Keith looked aloof, but his voice was gentle. His eyes always made their hearts race when they locked onto anyone. He looked down, staring directly at my lips. “The air conditioner was turned up too high, and my lips cracked from being too dry.” I hadn’t looked in the mirror since I ran away from home, but I was sure the blood on my lips was obvious. Anthony had kissed me too hard. My lips still felt numb. Keith glanced at me, his expression unreadable, and then fell silent as he drove. When we arrived at the club, I rushed to the restroom and rinsed my mouth with water for a few minutes. The scene setup was finally finished by evening. “I’ll drive you home,” Keith said suddenly. I politely made up an excuse to decline. He didn’t argue, only telling me to go home and get some rest.

I didn’t dare go back, afraid that Anthony might still be at home. He thought, “I wish there was a camera here…” Wait!?! He thought, “Too bad I didn’t install a camera in her bathroom.” This meant Keith had cameras set up elsewhere, but I had only removed the one in the bathroom. No wonder his call came at just the right time… It was Keith calling. For some reason, I felt uneasy. I ignored his calls and let them ring. I found a hotel to stay the night. The next day, I went to school, and everything seemed calm. But the more peaceful things felt, the more uneasy I became. After class, I heard from a friend that Anthony was in the hospital and asked if I wanted to visit him. I made up an excuse and didn’t go. When I got home, the box of Mille-feuille was still on the coffee table. I had gotten a little dizzy after eating a piece yesterday, so I was glad I hadn’t finished it. That night, I dreamt of a giant snake. It coiled tightly around my body, making it hard to breathe. My mouth felt blocked, and I could only take weak breaths through my nose. The next morning, I woke up to find a large red mark on the inner side of my thigh and a sore waist. I couldn’t make sense of it and went to class with a sense of confusion.

After class, my friend Rose Grant excitedly came up to me and said. “You’ve known Keith for so long. I thought you two would end up together.” I was puzzled. She saw my reaction and asked, “You didn’t know?” “What?” “Keith’s dating someone! Beverly Fields from the next department!” We hadn’t been in touch since I stopped picking up his calls. I didn’t expect him to have time to start a relationship. Honestly, I felt a bit melancholic and empty. For the past two years, he had been looking out for me. Even though he wanted to do evil things to me, I couldn’t just walk away immediately. I knew what I felt for him wasn’t love. I felt like a helpless fool who couldn’t function without an older person around. How had I become like this? Was it because of Keith? My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a ringtone. I hesitated but answered the call. “Eliza?” His deep, gentle voice came through the phone. I responded with a complicated “Mm.” “The club has a social event coming up in a few days. Do you want to join?” To be honest, I wasn’t in the mood to see him. “No, I need to focus on my paper.” There was a brief silence. “Alright. But could we grab a meal sometime? I’d like you to meet my girlfriend.” I felt a mix of emotions. “I don’t think I’ll have time anytime soon.” “It’s okay. Whenever you have time, we can meet then.” Why did we have to meet? Would the world end if we didn’t? I sighed, feeling exhausted.

Since staying at the hotel, I had been thinking about moving. After a few days, I finally found a new place. This neighborhood felt safer than the last one. I also submitted my resignation from the club, which was a huge relief. Keith once said that joining the club would help with social connections and make things easier once I entered the workforce. So I had been part of this club for two years. But the truth was, I didn’t like socializing at all. At the time, I joined to keep myself busy and stop thinking about my father, so I followed Keith’s suggestion to sign up. Not long after I submitted my resignation, Keith called. “Why do you want to quit the club?” Keith’s voice sounded colder than usual. “It’s written on the application form.” “Eliza, you’re about to be a senior. The position of president…” Keith went on and on about the downsides of quitting and the benefits of staying in the club. But I remained firm. He sighed and finally gave up. “Fine. If you want to quit, and then quit.” In class, my friend Rose secretly leaned over to gossip with me. I quietly listened, but suddenly my face froze. She thought, “She’s always trying to get close to Keith, saying Keith likes her. Now that Keith has a girlfriend, she’s probably going crazy. If it weren’t for trying to talk to Keith, I would never have stuck around with Eliza, that delusional girl, for so long…” My fingers curled into a tight fist, and I stared at the textbook in front of me, letting out a bitter laugh.

This sudden mind-reading power was really unsettling. When did I ever say that Keith liked me? When did I ever try to get close to him on purpose? Accusations, unfounded and one after another, piled up on me. “Eliza… Eliza?” I turned to look at Rose. She furrowed her brow and said, “I’m talking to you. Can’t you hear me?” I silently studied her face before looking away. She poked me with her finger in annoyance. “What’s up with you? Is it because of Keith? Don’t be upset. Anthony, the guy who used to chase after you, was really handsome, you know…” I fought the urge to snap at her and interrupted, “Keith and I are just friends. And by the way, I already have a boyfriend.” She looked shocked. “You have a boyfriend? No way! You’ve always been single!” I quickly made up a story. Once she realized I didn’t like Keith, her expression grew heavier. The mind-reading ability disappeared at that point, and I couldn’t understand why she was making that face. But thankfully, I didn’t want to think about it anymore.

That night, I had another strange dream. This time, there were no images, just voices. A voice kept calling my name over and over again. The sound of heavy breathing seemed to come from right next to me, warm and close. It felt like something was pressing down on me, and no matter how hard I tried to push it away, I couldn’t. It only got heavier and tighter. At 8 a.m., I woke up feeling completely drained. Looking down, I froze. Red marks on my calves, thighs, waist, and the inside of my arms… it was hard not to let my mind wander. In a state of confusion, I skipped class and went to a store to buy a few tiny cameras to install in my room. I went through every one I could suspect in my head. Finally, I settled on Keith. A few days later, I ran into him at the club. But now, I didn’t have mind-reading anymore! The handover of club matters was done, and as I was about to quietly leave, Keith approached me. “All set?” he asked with a slight smile. I stopped and replied, “Yeah, all done.” “Summer break is coming up. Didn’t you want to go to Srborea? My family gave me a few tickets. Want to go together?” I was about to decline, but my eyes froze on the hickeys on his neck. It was faint, but I was quick to notice. He lifted his hand to touch it, and I quickly looked away, trying to pretend I hadn’t seen it. But he was candid. “It’s from my girlfriend. Is it that obvious?” I thought for a moment, “It’s not too bad. From far away, you can’t really see it, but up close, it’s a bit obvious.” He chuckled lightly, “So, you wanna go?” I shook my head. “You and your girlfriend should go. I’m not really interested in tagging along.” He nodded gently. “Alright. So, do you have any plans for the summer?” I answered, “Going back home.” “I really want to lock you up in my bedroom forever. Summer vacation is a perfect opportunity.”

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On our fifth wedding anniversary, I carefully selected a luxury sports car as a gift for Jack. Just after completing the payment, I happened to see an Instagram update from Lily Reed, the scholarship student I was sponsoring: “Celebrating my birthday with my beloved, enjoying the most beautiful scenery.” In the photo, her sunglasses inadvertently captured the reflection of a familiar male figure. I smiled, liked the post, and left a warm wish. Not long after, Jack called in a hurry, his voice filled with displeasure and reproach: “We’re not what you’re imagining. How can you be so narrow-minded? Are you jealous of someone young and beautiful?” “Stop doing things that make people look down on you.” When Jack walked in, I changed my mind. I slowly put the fifth anniversary cake I was about to throw in the trash back on the table. He saw the cake on the table and frowned, “It’s not anyone’s birthday, why are we having cake?” I remained silent and opened the packaging in front of him. The cream was covered with fruit. When he saw me insert the “5th Wedding Anniversary” topper in the middle, his mocking expression instantly froze. In just a moment, he quickly regained his composure, but his guilty eyes didn’t dare meet mine. “I… I was too busy. I forgot about such an important day. I’m sorry…” I dodged his attempt to touch me and cut a piece of cake, putting it on a plate and shoving it into his hands. “Eat up, at least you made it in time.” He was displeased. “Opal, what do you mean? I just forgot, do you have to give me the cold shoulder? We celebrate our wedding anniversary every year, what’s wrong with missing one?” Since I had put effort into preparing the cake early in the morning, I decided to cut a piece for myself as well. Seeing that I wasn’t responding, he snatched the knife from my hand, and due to using too much force, he cut my palm. I cried out in pain, clutching my bleeding wound, tears streaming down uncontrollably. Jack frantically searched for gauze and antiseptic to stop the bleeding. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to…” I walked to the third cabinet on his right, took out the first aid kit myself, and proceeded to treat the wound step by step. I winced in pain. He tried to help me disinfect with a cotton swab, I avoided him. He tried to help me bandage, I avoided him. He tried to check how I was treating it, I avoided him. This time he finally frowned, “Is this about what happened earlier today?” “Is it really necessary? I was just helping take a few photos.” How could it not be necessary? My husband had time to help someone else celebrate their birthday and enjoy beautiful scenery, but forgot our own wedding anniversary. How ridiculous? I finished cleaning up and continued eating the remaining cake. He grabbed my wrist, advising, “It’s dirty, don’t eat it.” Following his gaze, I finally saw the spots of red plum on the cake that I had stained. What a pity, I hadn’t even taken a bite. If it’s dirty, let’s throw it away. Before I could act, Jack beat me to it and put the cake back in the box, “Don’t move, sit and rest, I’ll go throw it away.” Bang. The sound of the door closing behind me came, separating my world from his. I sat at the table for a long time, long enough for Jack to leave and not return. The next day, I indeed saw Lily’s update on Instagram again. “Glad to have you by my side.” It was a side profile of Jack listening intently to a doctor’s instructions in the hospital room. Last night, Lily’s mother had a cancer relapse, and he was urgently called to the hospital. I very generously liked the post. Jack’s call this time came a bit late, probably because he had to run errands for everything at the hospital, and Lily hadn’t had time to “pour out her troubles” to him yet. “Opal, can you stop making a fuss? Lily is young, and it’s only right that I help take care of her a bit in this unfamiliar city? Don’t be so cold-hearted?” Lily was also on the other end, begging me not to misunderstand. Her affected voice irritated me to no end. I pinched the bridge of my nose and said, “Jack, I got hurt yesterday too.” I thought I could use his causing my injury as a reason to evoke his guilt. He should be taking care of me, not some irrelevant person. Unexpectedly, he suddenly flared up: “Is that little injury worth constantly dwelling on? Lily’s mother has cancer, you should be able to distinguish what’s important, now is not the time for you to make unreasonable demands.” I fell silent. He noticed my lack of response and realized his attitude had been a bit too harsh. So he softened his tone: “Does your hand still hurt? Be good, I’ll come home early today and we’ll…”

Huh. I hung up the phone. I went out and got into the car that came to pick me up, heading straight to the hospital. Seeing the wound on my palm, the doctor scolded, “It’s so deep, why didn’t you come earlier? Any later and you might have needed a tetanus shot.” I was at a loss for words, after a while I replied, “I forgot because I was angry.” Walking out of the hospital, I ran into Jack and Lily walking side by side, going out to eat. I felt instantly annoyed. I wanted to avoid them at first. But then I thought, I’m the legal one after all, it would be too cowardly to just walk away like this. I didn’t approach them, but Lily’s sharp eyes noticed me. She clung to Jack’s arm, her challenging gaze meeting mine. They were chatting and laughing, occasionally whispering in each other’s ears, looking exactly like a perfect couple. Just as Jack was about to see me, Lily’s exaggerated performance voice rang out: “Jack, your wife is here. Did she misunderstand something? Is she jealous of someone young and beautiful?” Jack pulled her behind him, clearly taking on the role of her protector, frowning impatiently as he questioned me: “Why are you here? Opal, can you stop picking on a young girl?” I laughed bitterly. “When did I pick on her?” I hadn’t even opened my mouth or moved my hand, how was I picking on her? “You came here just to make things difficult for her, didn’t you? If you have any issues, come at me. Her family situation isn’t good, I’m just helping her out, don’t make a big deal out of nothing.” As Lily’s scholarship sponsor, I knew which hospital her mother was in. I couldn’t be bothered to argue with this delusional couple, and had specifically asked the driver to avoid it this morning. I didn’t expect they had changed hospitals. And made me run into them again. I turned to leave. Ouch, Jack grabbed my injured hand as he tried to stop me. I’m particularly sensitive to pain, and tears immediately welled up in my eyes. Seeing this, he let go, his expression changing to panic. The hand that reached out to grab my bandaged hand was dodged as I hid it behind my back. “Go ahead and take your little girl to eat, don’t let her starve.” Ignoring Jack’s ashen face, I strode past them, leaving them behind. Arriving at the parking area, I indeed saw the sports car I had bought a few days ago waiting for me. I opened the door and sat in the passenger seat. Maddox’s concerned voice came through: “You were fine this morning, why do you look like someone bullied you now?” I shook my head, “It’s nothing, take me to the law firm.” “Alright, considering you gave me that car, I’m at your beck and call.” While waiting at a red light, Jack walked past the front of the car holding Lily’s hand. Maddox’s surprised voice sounded beside my ear: “Wow, that guy who just passed by really looks like your husband.” “If it weren’t for him holding the wrong person’s hand, I would have mistaken him for Jack.” I pressed my lips together and nodded, “You didn’t see wrong.” “What?” Going to work, I saw Lily’s figure at the company. Jack had arranged for her to intern at the company. The company recruits some soon-to-graduate students to work every year, and if she could contribute to the company’s revenue, I certainly wouldn’t object. What I didn’t expect was that a week later, Jack assigned her a big project. If she succeeded in negotiating it, she would get a higher commission. If she didn’t negotiate well, the company would suffer a significant loss. Such actions that harmed the company’s interests were opposed by many people, including me. But Jack didn’t listen. As the project approached a crucial point, he came to me. “Lily doesn’t understand many things, can you guide her?” I stared at Jack indifferently: “Now you remember me?” I heard that Lily’s negotiations hadn’t gone well, and the other party demanded a change of personnel, otherwise they wouldn’t continue cooperation. They didn’t outright say they would stop future cooperation only because of the pleasant cooperation in the past few years. I didn’t expect him to be so muddle-headed, confused in emotions and now confused in work as well. Entrusting such an important matter to the newcomer Lily. I started to not understand him anymore. Did I really make the wrong choice back then? He put his arm around my shoulders and sighed: “Still so angry? Still upset?” “No.” He lowered his head to kiss my cheek, but I pushed him away. “We’re at work, mind the impact.” I noticed his body go from stiff to relaxed. The frost on his face melted instantly: “Mm, I’ll kiss you when we get home.” The next second, he remembered he hadn’t been back to that so-called home for a long time, and his eyes flashed with discomfort. “I’ll definitely come back today.” I agreed to go save the situation. The RG boss and I were old acquaintances. Back then, they were willing to cooperate with a small company because of me. Jack was clear about this point. To salvage the company’s reputation, this trip was necessary. After work, I thought I wouldn’t see Jack’s figure as usual. I had just prepared my own dinner. The doorbell rang. Opening the door, Lily greeted me with a bright smile: “Sister-in-law, I’ll be troubling you again tonight.”

I was confused. Jack spoke up behind her: “You have to go to RG early tomorrow morning, right? Lily lives far away and definitely won’t make it in time tomorrow, so she’ll stay at our place tonight.” I watched him brazenly bring another woman into our home. He showed Lily around the layout of our house. I walked back to the dining table and suddenly lost my appetite for the dinner I had just served. In my ears was the sound of Jack patiently answering Lily’s curious inquiries about the decorations in the house. “Jack, this ceramic doll is so cute. Where did you buy it? I want to buy one too.” She picked it up and waved it at Jack. “This was a gift my wife gave me back then, she painted it herself, isn’t it cute?” “Wow, your wife is so talented, can she paint one for me too?” She looked at me expectantly. Before I could speak, the ceramic doll I had once given to Jack fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. Just like my mood, broken into pieces. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry… It’s all my fault, I wasn’t careful when I put it back.” My face darkened. Lily apologized repeatedly, making a show of crouching down to pick up the pieces. Her hand had just reached out when it was cut. Jack’s eyes suddenly tightened as he glared at me: “What are you doing scaring her, it’s just a broken doll?” That ceramic doll was something I bought when we traveled abroad together after he successfully proposed to me. When I first bought it, it was all white, and I used paint to change its colors. When I gave it to Jack, he said it looked like me, and he would treasure it like he treasured me. I never thought that in just the fifth year of our marriage, it would become a “broken doll”. Jack went to the cabinet to find the first aid kit. Only Lily and I were left in the living room. She changed her weak demeanor, smirking as she said proudly: “Looks like I do have some status in your husband’s heart.” I nodded and said, “Then I wish you success.” The next morning as I was leaving, Jack’s car was parked by the roadside waiting for me. Lily’s head popped out of the passenger window, waving at me: “Hurry up and get in, we’ve been waiting for you.” Maddox’s car had just arrived. I said perfunctorily, “Let’s go separately.” Before Jack could say anything, I walked around his car and got into the sports car behind. Arriving at RG Company, Jack and Lily were waiting for me in the lobby. He looked at Maddox following behind me, and the arm he was about to put around my shoulders tightened. His eyes flashed with anger as he smiled insincerely: “Opal, aren’t you going to introduce us?” I pried his fingers off, saying coolly: “A friend.” Lily smiled and spoke up: “Let’s go upstairs quickly. Don’t keep everyone waiting.” Unexpectedly, Jack’s face turned cold, and he yelled at her: “Isn’t this all because of the trouble you caused?” Lily’s smile froze on her face, and she looked at Jack awkwardly: “I’m sorry, Jack…” Her pitiful appearance made even me feel sorry for her. No wonder she could hold onto Jack. As we went upstairs, Maddox whispered in my ear: “Is this the man you insisted on marrying back then?” “Your taste is much worse than mine.” I followed his gaze to Jack walking in front, not refuting. Walking into RG’s CEO office, Jack and Lily were left outside. Jack was stunned, pointing at me and saying: “I came with my wife.” The secretary apologized: “I’m sorry, you can’t go in.” He then pointed at Maddox: “What about him?” “He’s a friend of our CEO, of course he can go in.” The secretary led Maddox and me into the office. Jack’s burning gaze felt like needles on my back. The RG CEO was Maddox’s good friend, and we had known each other for a long time. The communication went smoothly, and they didn’t make things difficult for me. I agreed to their reasonable requests and finalized the terms for renewing next year’s cooperation. After saying goodbye, Maddox and I left together. Jack caught up and grabbed my wrist tightly, causing me pain. Maddox’s eyes darkened as he also grabbed me, telling Jack: “Let go.” Jack, overcome with anger, swung a punch at Maddox’s face: “I’m grabbing my own wife. What’s it to you?” Lily and I quickly pulled them apart. I shook my head at Maddox, apologizing: “Go wait for me in the car, I’ll come find you after I resolve this.” After he left, Jack said in a low voice: “You’re not allowed to leave with him.” I pulled my hand away, looking at him seriously and said: “Jack, let’s get a divorce.” He frowned, incredulous: “Just because I hit him?” I pressed my lips together, not knowing where to begin. I had previously consulted a law firm about divorce matters. “If that’s what you say, then so be it.” I turned and left without looking back. Behind me, Lily spoke up to persuade: “Jack, she must be saying it out of anger. I’ll go help you talk to her.” He said: “No need.” “When she’s done throwing her tantrum, she’ll naturally come back!”

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After our honeymoon, my husband and I returned home with hearts full of joy, eagerly anticipating our sweet life together as newlyweds. To our surprise, my mother-in-law had intentions of clearing out my house to use it as a wedding home for my husband’s younger brother. I was shocked and looked at my husband beside me. He mumbled vaguely about “being one family” and even tried to persuade me to endure it for his brother’s sake. “Charlie, hurry up and open the door! I’m exhausted!” I called out. With a click of the lock, the door swung open. The sight that greeted me was the same decoration from when Charlie and I had our wedding. I quickly kicked off my shoes and dashed towards the bedroom, thinking of taking a nice, long nap. But as soon as I opened the door, I saw my mother-in-law and a strange woman sitting in my bedroom. I froze, wanting to question them but not knowing where to start. My mother-in-law was the quickest to react. She stood up and said to me, “Opal, you and Charlie are back so soon! Let me introduce you – this is Jack’s girlfriend, my future daughter-in-law, and your future sister-in-law, Snow.” The woman called Snow blushed shyly. “So you’re my sister-in-law! I’ve heard so much about you from Jack. He said his sister-in-law is capable and beautiful. Now that I see you, it’s all true,” Snow said with a warm smile. Although I was annoyed by their unexpected presence in my home, sitting on my marital bed, I still maintained a friendly facade, following the principle of not hitting a smiling face.

“What? You want her to live in our house?” I suddenly raised my voice, utterly incredulous! My mother-in-law quickly stood up and covered my mouth, “Opal, keep your voice down. Don’t let Snow hear in the next room.” She glanced towards the doorway several times. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down. Trying to keep my expression neutral, I asked my mother-in-law, “Mom, if she lives here, where will Charlie and I stay?” “Opal, Snow came all the way from another state because of her love for Jack. She doesn’t have any friends or family here except us. Whether out of kindness or courtesy, I can’t let her stay in a hotel. It’s my fault for not being capable enough. I haven’t saved much money over the years, I can’t even help my son with his marriage…” Her response only made things worse. She started pouring out her grievances to me. I couldn’t help but feel annoyed. Wasn’t I a new bride too? I glanced at my husband beside me, Only to see him looking at his mother with sympathy, completely oblivious to my discomfort. Great! He’s no help either!

Before I could say anything more, Charlie jumped in: “Mom, please don’t be like this. It breaks my heart to see you this way.” Charlie grabbed his mother’s hand, his face full of concern. I didn’t say anything, just sat quietly watching the scene unfold before me. After a while, Charlie finally convinced his mother to go to another room, Leaving just the two of us in the spacious room. Charlie looked at me, his lips quivering a few times, hesitating before finally seeming to make up his mind to speak, “Opal, you know my family’s situation. I’m married now, I’ve got a good wife. My brother has finally found a girlfriend who’s willing to be with him. I can’t just stand by and watch my brother’s marriage fall apart… Opal, can you bear with it for a while?” Charlie was almost pleading with me. I looked at the man before me, nearly six feet tall, now hunched over like a shrimp, bowing and scraping, I couldn’t help but recall how vibrant and energetic he was when we first met.

Charlie and I met during a basketball game in college, Charlie’s team represented our department in the finals, and we girls acted as cheerleaders to support them. He stood out in the crowd, a tall guy over six feet, with a muscular build. Through his loose jersey, I could even clearly see the abs hidden underneath. He was sweating freely on the court, making one cool shot after another. What girl doesn’t have a crush? The youthful Charlie captured my heart in an instant. Perhaps it was fate, but later I was chosen to be a cheerleader. This gave me the opportunity to interact with Charlie, Later, I found out we were from the same hometown, which gave us even more to talk about, so we often chatted and ate together. We were interested in each other, just never expressed it openly. Until that year, when Charlie’s father suddenly passed away. This hit him hard. When Charlie returned after the mourning period, he was depressed all day, surrounded by a gloomy aura. I couldn’t bear to see him like this, so I stuck by him every day. Until one day, I took Charlie out drinking to drown his sorrows, In his drunken state, Charlie poured out his grievances to me. It was then that I learned Charlie’s life wasn’t as good as it seemed, quite different from the sunny and positive image he always portrayed.

Charlie’s family background was very ordinary, even poor, you could say. Charlie lived with his parents and younger brother in a small house less than 500 square feet in a small town, His father did odd jobs, while his mother was a traditional housewife, taking care of the household and doing mending. So when Charlie’s father passed away, it was as if the sky had fallen on the family… Listening to Charlie’s story, I felt both sympathy and admiration for him. I felt sorry for his poor background, but admired him for working hard to get into this prestigious university despite his circumstances. I was moved by Charlie’s resilience, and I also wanted to help him out of his gloom, So, Charlie and I started dating. We were a handsome couple, the envy of many on campus. I was convinced by Charlie’s resilient and hardworking qualities, So even though his family conditions weren’t good, I was willing to stay with him without hesitation. I had feelings for Charlie, Seeing Charlie in this state now, I ultimately couldn’t bear to refuse his request. However, I made it clear that the house was only for her to stay temporarily, Once she and Jack got married, she should move out and live with Jack, as Charlie and I still needed to live in this house.

When Charlie and I got married, his family was poor and couldn’t afford decent gifts or a grand wedding ceremony, I knew Charlie, as the eldest son, had it tough, so I never pressured him about anything. My parents, worried about my well-being and afraid I might suffer, bought a house for me in full. That house was meant to be our marital home. After the wedding, my parents paid for Charlie and me to honeymoon in Bali, We had just returned today. I hadn’t even lived in this marital home for a few days, and now I was being asked to give it to someone else. Although I was displeased, considering Charlie’s feelings, I didn’t want to say much more. Seeing my agreement, Charlie was moved to tears. He hugged me tightly, saying I was suffering and he would make it up to me in the future. That night, Charlie and I went to his mother’s house to stay for the night, As soon as we entered, I could see the cramped space, The old furnishings, and the smell of cooking oil that filled the entire house made me very uncomfortable. But I looked at Charlie beside me and ultimately held back, saying nothing. After Charlie’s father passed away, as the eldest son in the family, Charlie naturally shouldered more responsibilities. I lay on the slightly loose bed board, covered with a quilt that smelled faintly of mildew, I forced myself to close my eyes and sleep, but the result was a sleepless night. The next morning, I faced Charlie with two panda eyes. He looked at me, wanting to say something but hesitating, Without asking, anyone could see that I hadn’t slept well last night.

After breakfast, Charlie and I hurried to a nearby real estate agency to look for a house, We both knew well that I couldn’t adapt to his family’s environment and couldn’t live there. Through the agent’s introduction, Charlie and I chose a fully furnished apartment that we could move into immediately. Soon, we signed a three-month lease. I thought that no matter what, three months should be enough time for Snow and Jack to settle their marriage, right? So that day, Charlie and I moved into this temporary rented apartment with all our belongings. During this time, I also became quite familiar with my future sister-in-law, Snow. Snow was very kind and warm towards me, always sweetly calling me “sister-in-law” whenever she saw me, Eating, drinking, shopping, and taking walks together, for a while, I felt as happy as if I had gained a sister. Through our interactions over these days, I learned that Snow was an orphan who grew up in a foster home, Looking at this girl who was always smiling, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her in my heart. Snow and Jack met online, and she had traveled thousands of miles to pursue her love and marry Jack. She was a very brave and free-spirited girl. Days passed, and before we knew it, more than a month had gone by, On this day, while the whole family was having dinner together, Jack announced his marriage to Snow, The date was set for the beginning of next month. I glanced at Snow sitting across from me, she was like a white jasmine, smiling shyly.

As the wedding date approached, I could feel Snow becoming more nervous. Out of sympathy for Snow, and out of care for someone who would soon be family, I often spent time with her during this period, Helping her with various tasks, hoping to ease her nervousness and help her relax. On this day, while chatting with Snow, I casually mentioned where she and Jack would live after getting married, Snow looked at me with confusion and said, “We’ll live in the house I’m staying in now, why do you ask, sis?” Hearing Snow’s words, I felt my heart tighten, and I repeated, “You and Jack will live in the house you’re staying in now?” Snow looked at me, though confused, she patiently said, “Yes, sis! Jack said the house I’m living in now will be our future marital home, and he had already decorated it before I came. Jack is such a thoughtful man…” I watched Snow’s face grow happier as she spoke, while my heart grew colder. That evening, as soon as Charlie got home, before he could even change his shoes, I ran up to him, “Charlie, your brother wants to use our marital home as his marital home.” Hearing my words, Charlie was visibly stunned. “Honey, what are you talking about? I don’t understand.” Could it be that Charlie didn’t know about this? Looking at the confused Charlie, I couldn’t help but wonder. “…, That’s how it is. I found out accidentally while chatting with Snow today.” As I explained the situation to Charlie, I observed his reactions, but until I finished, he just frowned and remained silent. My face was cold as frost, “Charlie, whether you knew about this before or not, you should understand the situation now. I don’t care if it was your brother’s or your mother’s idea, you’d better give me a satisfactory answer.” Actually, before Snow finished speaking, I had already guessed that regardless of whose idea it was, the ultimate goal was to give my house to Jack as his future marital home. Charlie seemed unnerved by my stare, “Honey, don’t be angry. Let me go ask Mom and Jack about this.” Without waiting for my response, Charlie grabbed his coat and hurried out the door.

It wasn’t until late at night that Charlie returned, looking exhausted. He turned on the light, only to see me sitting in the darkness, “Honey, why aren’t you sleeping so late? Why are you sitting here?” “Waiting for your solution,” I said, raising my almond eyes to look at Charlie calmly. We stared at each other for who knows how long, Charlie’s mouth opened and closed, not knowing how many times, before he finally seemed to make up his mind and said, “Honey, let’s lend that house to Jack for a while.” “Lend it to him for a while? How long? Ten years or twenty years? Or lend it to him for a lifetime?” My voice carried a coldness that even I hadn’t noticed before. “Honey, I only have one brother, and besides, don’t we have a place to live now? What’s wrong with letting him use it for a while?” Charlie’s tone even carried a hint of taking it for granted. Later, Charlie tried to persuade me for a long time, but I neither agreed nor rushed to refuse. Instead, I told him I would think about it. I don’t know what kind of nonsense Charlie’s mother and brother had fed him, but this Charlie was one I had never seen before. That night, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep thinking about this matter, Then I heard Charlie’s phone buzzing non-stop. Annoyed and distracted, I picked up the phone intending to switch it to silent mode, but accidentally glimpsed a message from his mother to Charlie, “Charlie, how’s it going?” Out of curiosity, I opened the chat history between Charlie and his mother.

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After losing control while drunk, I slept with the boy next door. He’s an extremely responsible person, so he proposed to me after sobering up. It wasn’t until later that I found out his most beloved woman had left the country that night. So I hid my deep feelings and became his obedient and virtuous wife in name only in this wealthy family. On countless quiet nights, we were incredibly in sync, yet kept our distance. My friends all said I would never be able to lGronaeave him, and I thought so too. Until one day, when I discovered his second phone. While he was in the shower, a girl sent a selfie of herself. “Mr. Brown, thank you for the birthday gift.” She was a very young girl with delicate features. But she was wearing expensive clothes that didn’t match her age, so she looked a bit uncomfortable. I stared at it for a long time, until my eyes stung. I had always known there was someone in Arlo’s life, but I never imagined it would be a girl like this. Beyond my heartache, I was also surprised by my husband’s preferences. I thought to myself, I’m sorry for discovering Arlo’s secret. A moment later, Arlo came out with steam rising from his body. “How long are you going to look at that?” He snatched the phone from my hand, glanced at me, and started getting dressed. There wasn’t a hint of embarrassment on his face at being caught by his wife. I knew his confidence came from his control over the family finances. Because I was the one being kept at home, even though I used to be a well-known pianist in the country before we married. I didn’t confront him about the photo. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. Seeing he was about to go out, I quickly spoke up. “Arlo, I have something I want to talk to you about.” He fastened his belt leisurely and looked at me. “I have five minutes. The driver is waiting downstairs.” I guessed where he was going and my eyes darkened. “Arlo, I want to go out and work.” Arlo turned to look at me, staring for a while. Then he took out a checkbook from his pocket, wrote down a number, tore it out and handed it to me. “Isn’t it nice being a full-time housewife at home? Work isn’t suitable for you.” He was about to leave after saying that. I chased after him, taking a very humble stance. “I’m not afraid of hard work. I want to go out and work. I can play the piano.” The man had no patience to listen further. In his mind, I was like a delicate vine. Used to being taken care of, completely unsuited for working outside, and unable to endure hardship. Arlo looked at his watch. Time was up. He left this home without any reluctance. I couldn’t stop him, only managing to urgently ask as he gripped the doorknob. “My dad’s birthday is on Saturday. Do you have time?” Arlo paused. “We’ll see.” The door closed softly. A moment later, the sound of a car starting came from downstairs, gradually fading into the distance. A few minutes later, the housekeeper came upstairs. “Sir is going to H City for a few days. He said it’s for something important.” “Also, a batch of Sir’s clothes just arrived for washing. Madam, should we send them to the cleaners or would you like to hand wash and iron them yourself?” They knew my relationship with Arlo was strained. In this house, they were the messengers between Arlo and me. I knelt on the sofa, taking a while to come back to my senses before softly saying, “I’ll wash them by hand.” Because Arlo didn’t like the smell of dry cleaning solvents. So almost all of Arlo’s clothes, including suits and coats, were hand washed and ironed by me. Besides this, Arlo had high standards in other areas too. He didn’t like eating out, and he didn’t like any mess in the bedroom, so I learned cooking and flower arranging. He never took this wife to heart, only marrying me because of an accident. I gradually became the perfect housewife, and my life revolved almost entirely around Arlo. But Arlo still didn’t love me. I lowered my head and stared at the check. Last year my family business failed. My father suddenly fell ill from the shock, costing over six figures every month. Every time I went home, my stepmother complained that I took too little from Arlo. “He’s the CEO of Brown Pharmaceutical Group, worth billions.” “Grona, isn’t he your husband? Doesn’t that mean everything he has is yours too?” I smiled bitterly. How could anything of Arlo’s be mine? Arlo didn’t love me and was very cold to me usually. Our marriage only had sex, no love. He wouldn’t even let me have his child. Every time we slept together, he would remind me to take birth control. Yes, I had to take the pills. I felt for the pill bottle, took one out, and swallowed it numbly. After taking the pill, I gently pulled open a small drawer. Inside was a thick diary, filled with 18-year-old me’s deep love for Arlo. Ten years. I had loved him for a full ten years. I quietly closed my eyes. This one-sided play seemed like I could no longer keep acting it out. I didn’t wait for Arlo to come back. My dad had another acute attack and entered the ICU. The situation was very critical and he needed immediate surgery. I stood in the hospital hallway calling Arlo over and over, but no one answered after several tries. Just as I was about to give up, Arlo answered. Afraid he would lose patience and hang up the next second, I spoke rapidly: “Arlo, my dad—” But my words were still cut off by Arlo. His tone carried a hint of impatience: “Do you need money?” “I’ve said many times, if you urgently need money just ask Secretary Quinn. Grona, are you listening?” I looked up at the electronic screen, my expression dazed. It was playing today’s news. The CEO of Brown Pharmaceutical Group had rented out the entire Disneyland for a night of fireworks to please a beauty. Under the dazzling fireworks, a young girl sat in a wheelchair, smiling sweetly and innocently. And my husband Arlo stood behind the wheelchair. He was holding his phone, talking to me. I blinked slowly. After a long while, my voice carried a hint of brokenness: “Arlo, where are you?” There was a pause on the other end. He seemed very unhappy with my questioning, but still perfunctorily said: “Still busy. If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up. Contact Secretary Quinn.” He didn’t notice my near-tears tone, but his gaze looking down at the person beside him was very gentle, so very gentle. My vision blurred. So Arlo could be this gentle after all. My stepmother’s voice came from behind: “Did you get in touch with Arlo? If Arlo doesn’t help, there’s no way we can handle this.” But her words stopped abruptly, because she also saw the scene on the electronic screen. After a while, my stepmother finally found her voice again. “Grona, I just don’t believe that when Arlo was in a coma, this Maeve girl playing the piano could wake him up.” “Even if that’s true, is this how you repay someone? He can’t even remember your birthday.” My stepmother got more and more angry as she spoke. Thinking of the Grona family’s situation, she couldn’t help but shed tears. “But Grona, you have to be clear-headed. Don’t cause trouble with Arlo at a time like this.” I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms, but I couldn’t feel any pain. Cause trouble with Arlo? I wouldn’t. Not because I’m a sensible Mrs. Brown who knows better. But because I have no right as the unloved wife. The title is just an empty shell. I stared at the sky full of fireworks and said very softly: “All those fireworks must cost a lot of money, right?” My stepmother didn’t understand what I meant. I lowered my eyes and started dialing Secretary Quinn’s number. Disturbing someone’s sleep in the middle of the night is always unpleasant. Secretary Quinn had been by Arlo’s side for a long time and held a high position. Moreover, he knew Arlo didn’t care about this wife. So after hearing my request, his tone was cold and aggressive. “Mrs. Brown, you need to apply first and have Mr. Brown sign off before you can get a check.” “Just like the jewelry you wear, it needs to be registered before use.” “Madam, do you understand what I mean?” I hung up the phone. I lowered my head, very quiet. After a while, I looked up at myself in the glass, gently raised my hand. On my slender ring finger was my wedding diamond ring. This was the only thing on me that didn’t need to be requested from Arlo, didn’t need to be registered and reported to his secretary. How pathetic I was as Mrs. Brown. I blinked dazedly and suddenly said: “Help me find someone to sell the wedding ring.” My stepmother was stunned: “Grona, have you gone crazy?” I slowly turned around. In the desolate lobby late at night, even my footsteps sounded lonely. After walking a few steps, I paused, then said firmly: “Auntie, I’m very clear-headed. I’ve never been this clear-headed before. I want to divorce Arlo.” Three days later, Arlo returned home. Arlo pushed open the bedroom door to see me sitting at the dressing table organizing items. He put down his luggage, loosened his tie, and sat on the bed examining me. After marriage, I always enjoyed doing housework, organizing things, making snacks. If I didn’t still hold the title of Mrs. Brown Group, in Arlo’s heart I was really no different from a housekeeper. For a long time I didn’t speak. Arlo was also tired from his business trip. Seeing I didn’t speak, he was too lazy to say anything. He went straight to the closet, took a bathrobe and went to the shower. While showering, he probably thought that with my weak personality, by the time he finished I would have calmed down. Then I would continue to be a gentle wife. He was so certain I would always love him like this. So when he walked out of the bathroom and found his suitcase still in its original place, he felt it necessary to talk to me. Arlo sat down on the sofa, casually picked up a magazine to read. After a while, he looked up at me and said: “How is your father’s condition?” “I’ve already reprimanded Secretary Quinn about that night.” He spoke lightly, without much sincerity. I put down what I was holding and looked up to meet his gaze in the mirror. In the mirror, Arlo’s features were deep-set and his aura was noble. Even a bathrobe looked better on him than others. I looked for a long time, until my eyes were sore, before saying very calmly: “Arlo, let’s get divorced.”

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### The day after I said yes to Isaac’s proposal, I accidentally logged into his messaging app on my laptop. A new message popped up: “Thank you for the ring, babe. In my heart, I’m already married to you.” Attached was a picture of the ring—a perfect match for the one Isaac had used to propose to me. Except hers was real. Mine was a cheap knockoff. In that moment, I finally understood the distant, unfocused look in his eyes when he proposed. It wasn’t me he was looking at—it was her. Without hesitation, I took off the ring and tossed it into the trash. I’ve never cared for fake jewelry. Or fake love. Almost the moment I saw the message, a notification popped up on the screen: “You’ve been logged out.” Then my phone started ringing—it was Isaac. “Mia, why were you logged into my account?” he demanded, his voice sharp and accusatory. “Were you trying to spy on me?” I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. It was always the same. He was the one who couldn’t stay loyal, but somehow, he always managed to twist things around and make it seem like I was the one in the wrong. But today… I didn’t have the strength to argue. I hung up. I was exhausted. Completely, utterly exhausted. The phone immediately rang again. “Mia, what the hell? Did you just hang up on me?” Isaac’s voice was furious. I swallowed the lump in my throat and said hoarsely, “Isaac, let’s just end this.” There was silence on the other end. Then, all at once, his voice exploded with rage. “End this? Mia, who do you think you are to end things with me?” “You still think you’re the same rich little daddy’s girl from back then? That you can just throw me away like garbage whenever you feel like it?” “Don’t forget—your mom is still in the hospital, and she’s relying on me to pay her medical bills!” He wasn’t wrong. Years ago, he’d used my mother’s surgery as leverage to force me into staying with him. But what Isaac didn’t know was that earlier today, my mother had passed away. “It’s just a ring,” he sneered before I could respond. “You’re really breaking up with me over a stupid ring?” His laugh was cold and filled with disdain, cutting straight through me. “Let me make something clear, Mia. You don’t deserve anything better than a fake ring. Women like you—” His voice was like a swarm of buzzing mosquitoes, loud and unbearable, making my head spin. Without thinking, I hit the end call button. Then, I blocked him on everything. For the first time in what felt like forever, the world around me fell silent. I sat there in front of my laptop, staring blankly at the screen. Minutes passed, maybe longer. When I finally snapped out of it, I realized my face was wet with tears. In a single day, I had lost my mother, and the man I was supposed to marry had humiliated me beyond belief. And yet, in this moment of overwhelming grief and betrayal, I felt strangely calm. It’s funny how the human mind reacts when pushed to its absolute limit. I don’t remember how I packed my things. I just remember looking around this cold, empty apartment and realizing that everything I truly owned fit into two suitcases. Dragging them behind me, I wandered aimlessly through the streets. With my mom gone, I felt like a tether inside me had snapped. When she was alive, she had once threatened to take her own life unless I broke up with Isaac, who was then a struggling entrepreneur, and left the country to study abroad. Later, when my father went bankrupt and took his own life, and my mother’s health began to fail, Isaac used her medical bills as a chain to keep me trapped by his side. For years, I’d been like a kite, bound by a string someone else was holding. Now, the string was gone. “Beep! Beep!” A blaring car horn jolted me from my thoughts. I looked up and realized, far too late, that I was standing in the middle of the street. The headlights grew brighter, and the screech of tires tearing against asphalt filled the air. I didn’t have time to move. The impact sent me sprawling onto the pavement. I opened my eyes to see a man stepping out of the driver’s seat. He looked panicked as he rushed toward me.

The man’s face initially carried a hint of impatience, but the moment he saw me, a flicker of surprise crossed his expression. “I’m so sorry, it’s my fault—I’m fine, really,” I said, forcing a weak smile, trying to ignore the searing pain in my leg. After all, I was the one who broke the rules and wandered into the street. I just hoped I hadn’t caused him much trouble. I tried to stand, but the sharp pain in my leg sent me stumbling back down. “Don’t push yourself,” the man said, catching me quickly before I fell again. Without another word, he pulled out his phone and called for an ambulance. It arrived quickly. Maybe it was the exhaustion from days spent sleepless by my mother’s bedside, but as soon as I was inside the ambulance, I blacked out. When I woke up, it was already the next afternoon. The sound of my phone ringing jolted me awake. It was an unfamiliar number. The moment I answered, an all-too-familiar voice barked through the line: “Mia, so now you’ve got the nerve to block me?” Isaac’s voice was full of venom. “You faked a car accident just to get my attention? How desperate can you be?” His words hit me like a slap in the face. “If only the car had actually finished you off,” he added coldly. Suddenly, I remembered the EMT asking for an emergency contact while I was barely conscious in the ambulance. I must have given them Isaac’s number. “I really was in an accident. I’m in the hospital right now—” I started, trying to explain. But he cut me off, his tone dripping with disdain. “Enough! You’re such a liar. Do you think I’m stupid?” “Lola asked her friend at the hospital. She said no car accident victims were admitted last night. So what was your plan? That I’d drop everything and come running to you out of guilt? Keep dreaming!” I glanced down at my leg, still wrapped in bandages, the pain radiating like fire. Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them back. Why wouldn’t he believe me? I knew why. Isaac had never forgiven me for leaving him when he was at his lowest point. But he didn’t know the full story. He didn’t know how my mother had taken my phone, broken it in front of me, and forced me to end things with him. She had locked me inside the house until I left for school overseas, ensuring I couldn’t reach him. It had taken everything I had to slip a letter to him before I left. I poured my heart into it, explaining everything, telling him how much I loved him, begging him to wait for me. I even left him all the money I had at the time, hoping it would help him get back on his feet. But when we finally met again years later, he’d looked me dead in the eye and said, “Mia, you dumped me when I had nothing. It was Lola who sold her house and loaned me the money to rebuild my life.” Maybe he was right. Maybe I was a fool to think that letter had meant anything to him. If Lola had done so much for him, then why didn’t he just marry her? What was the point of dragging me back into his life and blaming me for everything? “What’s wrong? Did I hit a nerve?” Isaac sneered, breaking the silence. “You’re just a manipulative, gold-digging woman who’ll stop at nothing to get what you want.” I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. “Isaac, my mom passed away yesterday. You don’t need to worry about paying her medical bills anymore.” “I’ll pay back every cent I owe you. And after that, let’s just… end this, okay? Please.” The line went silent. For a second, I thought he’d hung up. Then his voice returned, colder than ever. “Wow, Mia. You’re so twisted you’d even lie about your own mother’s death? Do you really think I’d fall for that?” I stared at the phone, his words slicing through me like a knife. So this is what he thought of me. When he finally hung up, my hands were trembling so badly I could barely hold the phone. I thought my heart had already been shattered beyond repair, but somehow, the pain still felt fresh, sharp, suffocating. How do you let go of someone you’ve loved for so long? The same person who had broken you again and again? It was a while before I calmed down. When I finally glanced toward the bedside table, I noticed a small yellow sticky note sitting there. “Had to step out for a bit, but I’ll come check on you tonight.” It was signed, “Logan.” It must’ve been from the man who hit me—the unlucky driver who’d ended up stuck with me.

I didn’t wait until evening. There was still so much to do to settle my mom’s affairs. Ignoring the doctor’s disapproving glare, I signed myself out of the hospital against medical advice. It took me a full week to handle everything. When it was all done, I stood in front of that small, lonely grave, and something inside me broke. For the first time, it truly sank in—this woman, who had spent her life controlling mine under the guise of love, was gone forever. I collapsed against the cold headstone, sobbing uncontrollably. It was only after some time had passed that I realized something was missing. The necklace. The only thing my mom had left me. I must’ve left it at Isaac’s place. If it weren’t for that necklace, I wouldn’t have set foot in that suffocating house again. All I could do was pray that Isaac wasn’t home, so I could grab it and leave without any drama. But life isn’t that kind. Isaac wasn’t there, but Lola was. “Mia? What are you doing back here?” Lola asked, leaning against the doorframe in her silk pajamas, arms crossed like she owned the place. “I came to grab something. I’ll leave as soon as I have it,” I said, not wanting to waste a single second more on her. Whatever happened between her and Isaac was no longer my concern. But she wasn’t about to let me off so easily. “Let me guess,” she said with a smug grin. “You’re just using that as an excuse to worm your way back into Isaac’s life, aren’t you?” She covered her mouth, pretending to stifle a laugh. “Did you know that the moment you moved out, he couldn’t wait to have me move in? If it weren’t for you, I’d have been Mrs. Carter a long time ago.” As she spoke, she held up her hand, showing off a ring that sparkled far too brightly. The same ring Isaac had used to propose to me. “Some people,” she sneered, “are only good enough for cheap knockoffs. Pathetic, isn’t it?” I clenched my teeth, my nails digging into my palms. Without thinking, I raised my hand and slapped her across the face. “You are not in any position to mock me!” At this point, I had nothing left to lose. If she wanted a fight, I was ready to give her one. Lola let out a sharp scream, clutching her cheek in disbelief. “You hit me?! Do you have any idea what Isaac will do to you when he finds out?” Then, as if suddenly remembering something hilarious, her expression twisted into something malicious. “Oh wait,” she said, her voice dripping with mockery. “Didn’t you say your mom’s dead now? Good riddance. Too bad you didn’t die with her.” That was it. I snapped. Grabbing her perfectly styled hair, I yanked her forward and slammed her head against the wall. Her shrieks were ear-piercing, but I didn’t care. “What the hell are you doing, Mia?!” Isaac’s voice roared through the room as he stormed in, grabbing my arm and shoving me to the ground. He immediately knelt down to cradle Lola, whispering softly to her as if she were made of glass. His face was full of tenderness, but when he turned to me, his eyes were filled with disgust. “Mia, I’ve been way too patient with you!” he shouted. Lola, ever the actress, sobbed quietly into his chest. “Isaac, it’s my fault. I upset her… I deserved to be hit. Don’t blame her anymore, okay? I’ll just leave so she won’t be mad anymore.” Her performance was Oscar-worthy. Even I wanted to applaud her dedication. Isaac, of course, fell for it. “From now on,” he snarled at me, “you’re not getting another dime from me. Let’s see how you like watching your mom rot in the hospital without my money.” I laughed bitterly, ignoring the sharp pain shooting through my leg. Blood was already seeping through the bandages, staining my jeans. Isaac noticed, pausing for a moment. “What’s wrong with your leg?” he asked, his voice softer for a second. “None of your business,” I spat, swatting away the hand he reached out. Without another word, I limped toward the bedroom, grabbed the necklace, and headed back out. But before I could leave, Isaac snatched it from my hand. “Give it back!” I demanded, trying to grab it, but he held it out of reach. “Everything you have—your clothes, your jewelry, even your mom’s hospital bills—was paid for with my money. If you’re so high and mighty, why don’t you take off everything I’ve ever given you and walk out naked?” “You bastard!” I snapped, biting down on my trembling lip to keep the tears at bay. Isaac just smirked. “Go ahead. Strip. Do it, and I’ll let you leave.” I stared at him, his mocking smile twisting the knife deeper into my chest. Fine. If this was what he wanted, I’d give it to him. I started with my jacket, then my shirt. Soon, I was standing there in just a tank top. As I reached for the hem of it, Isaac suddenly shouted, “Enough!” “Have you lost all self-respect, Mia?” He threw my clothes and the necklace at me, the chain hitting me square in the face. “Fine. Get out. But don’t you ever come crawling back to me, begging for help.” With that, he wrapped his arm around Lola and walked away, not even bothering to look back. I stood there, clutching my clothes and the necklace, watching his retreating figure. What was he so angry about? This was what he wanted, wasn’t it? To see me humiliated. To see me crushed under the weight of everything I’d lost. To see me as nothing more than a broken shell of the person I used to be. He should’ve been happy. Shouldn’t he?

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