Category: English

When I was 20, Caleb’s first love, Seraphina, was gravely ill. He begged me to donate a kidney. To finally marry him, I made a deal. “I’ll donate my kidney. In return, you give me the rest of your life!” He agreed. I got what I wanted and walked down the aisle with him. After we married, I helped him build an empire from scratch, turning him into a rising star in the business world. On our wedding anniversary, Seraphina tossed the five million dollars Caleb and I had earned right in my face. “Caleb gave me five million. I’m buying you out of this marriage.” It was then I finally understood. Caleb had agreed to marry me, but he’d never really cut ties with her. I took the card, my eyes burning. “Give me a hundred million, and I’ll leave Caleb willingly in seven days.” A delighted smile spread across her face. “Deal!” But she had no idea. Without me, Caleb wouldn’t be where he was today! I grabbed my phone and made a call. “Pull all investments from Caleb’s company. Now!” … After Seraphina showed her true colors, she stopped pretending. She moved right into my home. She clung to Caleb, looking frail and delicate, utterly unlike the woman who’d arrogantly thrown money at me just days before. “Maya, I’m so sorry to intrude on you two…” Before she could even finish, Caleb wrapped his arms protectively around her, his voice chilling. “Seraphina had to leave the city because of you, and she didn’t get top-tier medical care. Now, her condition risks a relapse. To be safe, she needs to come back to the city for treatment.” “I know you’ve always had an issue with her, but this time, I hope you won’t make a scene!” I slowly looked up at him, a wave of bitter sadness washing over me. I hadn’t said a single word, yet he’d already judged me. “She has no friends in the city, so she can only stay here for now. Don’t make things difficult for her during this time. Once the hospital confirms her condition is stable, I’ll personally send her away.” He’d said the exact same thing when he knelt before me, begging me to donate a kidney to save her. But he’d secretly kept in touch with Seraphina for four long years, hiding it all from me. I pressed my lips together, my voice catching. “So, was the million dollars last night to buy the right to use a room?” Last night, Caleb had been unusually gentle with me. He’d even, for once, prepared a Valentine’s Day gift for me. Even though it was just a bank card that required no thought, it had kept me awake with joy all night. But the moment I saw Seraphina, that bank card felt tainted. Now, it sat quietly in my bag, yet it seemed to burn my palm, making me tremble uncontrollably. He frowned, his face tight with displeasure as he retorted, “What kind of talk is that?!” “You’ve been a wealthy wife for so many years, yet all you talk about is money? Are you some insatiable pet I picked up?” I froze, unable to move. Caleb’s gaze on me was filled with utter disgust, as if he were looking at some ugly beggar. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I’d thought that four years of living together, experiencing ups and downs side-by-side, would have gradually warmed his feelings for me. But now, I finally understood. No matter what I did, I could never melt his heart, a heart that would never love me. Seeing my silence, he sneered. “Don’t worry. What happened between Seraphina and me is in the past. I can assure you, for now, no one can threaten your position!” “So, be a good girl. Go prepare a bedroom for Seraphina. She’ll need someone by her side once she moves in, and you’re idle all day, so you can take good care of her.” And in that instant, a flicker of triumph gleamed in Seraphina’s eyes, stinging mine. I bit down hard, slowly speaking. “What if I say no?” He hadn’t expected me to refuse. Caleb’s face turned as dark as thunder. “You’d rather do this the hard way, wouldn’t you?” “Since you’re so ungrateful, why should I show you any more mercy!” He barked an order. “Brenda, pack up all of Mrs. Maya’s things and move them to the storage room. Clear out the master bedroom for Miss Seraphina!” Seraphina’s appearance crushed my dignity instantly. I curled up on the small bed in the cramped storage room, tears streaming down my face. Remembering Caleb’s kindness during this time, I realized it was all just to pave the way for Seraphina. Suddenly, my phone rang. My brother, Jax’s, furious voice came through. “I heard the mistress has moved in, and you’re still not divorcing him? We let you indulge that jerk and his little company for years, but not to see you suffer like this!” “Seven days from now, if I don’t see you home, I swear I won’t let Caleb off the hook!” Jax always knew Caleb was my weakness, but soon, we’d have no connection at all.

Just as dawn broke, frantic knocks pounded on the storage room door. My eyes were swollen and red, but I painfully got up and opened the door to see Seraphina’s irritating face. She tilted her head slightly, glaring at me, her eyes full of displeasure. “Caleb’s already gone to the office. You’re still asleep? Are you really treating him like a complete fool, just keeping you around?” “Get up! I’m hungry. I want breakfast!” The storage room was too small. I hadn’t slept well at all, so I had no energy to deal with her. I frowned, raising my eyes sharply. “We have a housekeeper.” With that, I tried to close the door to shut out her incessant chatter. But she blocked the door with her foot. “Caleb told you to take care of me. If you don’t listen, I’ll tell him right away and have him come back and teach you a lesson, you little bitch!” Yesterday, Seraphina had been so timid and demure. Today, she was a total witch, like she’d had a double shot of espresso and a side of rage. Her nagging had completely ruined my sleep. I didn’t want to argue with her, so I started walking towards the kitchen. As I moved, she flashed a triumphant smirk. “First, pour me a glass of warm water. I’m thirsty!” I turned back, expressionless, poured the water, and handed it to her. “Here.” She took the glass and, without a moment’s hesitation, dumped the warm water all over my head. The warm liquid streamed down my face and dripped onto the floor. I gasped for air, my muddled brain suddenly crystal clear. She hooked a finger under my chin, forcing me to look at her. “You’ve occupied Mrs. Caleb’s position for so many years. I’m a little annoyed, so this is just a tiny punishment for you.” She chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’ll gather the hundred million within seven days. I promise you’ll leave smoothly!” “But you need to remember this: because of you, I was robbed of my right to be by Caleb’s side. So now, even if I want you dead, you’ll have to accept it!” I slapped her hand away without mercy, sighing at her stupidity. “You’re pathetically foolish. If I’d known you were this stupid, even if Caleb had died right in front of me back then, I wouldn’t have uselessly given up my kidney to save you!” Even now, she still believed everything Caleb had was solely due to his own efforts. But how could she know that without me, his biggest shareholder, backing him from behind, he would never have become a rising star in business! The next second, a stinging slap landed unexpectedly on my face. Caleb’s disgusted voice pierced the air. “Maya, how can you be such a malicious person!” I was stunned, my head ringing. In four years of marriage, Caleb’s concern for me had been rare, but he had never laid a hand on me. “Caleb, Maya didn’t mean it.” “She’s just upset that I’m in her master bedroom, that’s why she said those things. It’s okay…” Seraphina’s cloying voice drifted over, her eyes red as she feigned trying to stop Caleb. I instinctively spoke, my eyes blurred. “That’s not how it was…” Before I could finish, Caleb’s cold voice cut me off. “I heard it with my own ears! What more do you have to say? I can’t believe you’re so wicked you wished Seraphina dead!” “If I hadn’t come back in time, would you have put a knife to her throat?!” In Caleb’s eyes, Seraphina was always good and kind, and I was always malicious. He never listened to my explanations. Every word I spoke seemed to disgust him. I stood rooted to the spot, touching my burning cheek, silent. As long as Seraphina was around, he would never see my disheveled state, my humiliation. Perhaps realizing his attitude toward me was too extreme, he actually softened his expression and explained. “I already told you Seraphina wouldn’t threaten your position. Why do you still make things so difficult for her?” “When did you become so unreasonable?” Suddenly, he chuckled, meeting my eyes with a scornful look. “Oh, I forgot. You’ve always been like this.” With that, Caleb picked up Seraphina and turned, leaving me alone, bewildered. It was only then that I understood. For him, this marriage was just a transaction, a means to keep Seraphina alive. If there had been no Seraphina, if a kidney match hadn’t been found… Would I not have become a sacrifice between them?

Exhausted, I returned to the small storage room and saw the photo I’d worked so hard to get. My eyes blurred. In the picture, I smiled brightly. Caleb, though expressionless, still went through all the motions with me. It was one of the rare times he’d shown me a shred of patience. It was then I remembered the text message I’d seen on his phone that day: “I had the most amazing takeout today! Come home quickly, let’s try it together!” A simple takeout meal had brightened his mood. Yet, the meals I painstakingly cooked, even burning my fingers for, were met with his sneers. A thousand tiny ants seemed to gnaw at my chest, a searing, throbbing pain ripped through me. No matter how much effort I put in, I could never truly enter Caleb’s heart. I wearily looked around, realizing how few things I had that were truly mine. Everything in the villa had been arranged according to Caleb’s preferences. Now, it felt utterly ironic. My phone chimed. A text from Jax: “Don’t make me fly back and find you.” Just a few simple words, but they filled me with an inexplicable sense of security. I wiped away my tears, gathered my things, and left. Now, to leave, the only thing I needed was a visa to Country A. After my interview, I only had to wait five more days before I could leave this place. I could leave Caleb forever. On the way back, I saw a jewelry store and decided to pawn all the gold jewelry Caleb had given me. Each piece was laid out on the counter. I remembered the exact moment Caleb had given me every single one. Every piece, I had treasured like precious gems. I carefully ran my fingers over each engraving, my eyes welling up. Under the staff’s urging, I reluctantly let go. But the next moment, the staff member frowned, and his words plunged me into an abyss. “These are all fake. Only this necklace can be bought back.” How was that possible? I picked up the jewelry, disbelief written all over my face, inspecting them repeatedly. Still not convinced, I handed him the ring on my finger. “What about this one?” He took it, burned it with a flame, and after a moment, glanced at me sideways, sighing and shaking his head. The staff next to him looked surprised. Seeing my distraught expression, he tried to comfort me. “Perhaps your husband accidentally bought fakes. It’s common these days for people to be scammed into buying fake gold. It’s understandable.” “Please don’t overthink it…” By the end, he seemed to lose conviction in his own words, his voice trailing off. But even the ring we used for our wedding was fake. What, then, could possibly be real? Four years of genuine devotion, and I had been completely oblivious. I took the only genuine gold necklace, a bitter ache in my heart. I never would have thought that the only real gold among them was something I had practically begged Caleb for! “I’ll sell this one.” “You can dispose of the rest for me.” After the payment went through, I left the jewelry store, my expression numb. I looked up and saw Caleb and Seraphina walking into another jewelry store together. They were holding hands, smiling, looking so intimate, as if *they* were the real couple. I lowered my eyes and quickly walked away, my heart sinking as if a stone had been tied to it.

For the next four days, Caleb and Seraphina were nowhere to be seen. Perfect. It made it easier for me to bring people to view the villa. I was leaving anyway; there was nothing left to keep. When we first bought it, I had insisted on adding Caleb’s name to the deed. But Caleb, his face filled with disgust, pushed me away. “Your name doesn’t deserve to be written next to mine!” Thankfully, he refused. At the time, I hadn’t thought much of it. I even naively believed I could slowly melt his heart. Now, I saw it was just my wishful thinking. While showing the house to a client, my phone pinged. A text message. I clicked on it, my brows furrowing in surprise. Caleb had fired me from the company. The next moment, my phone rang. Caleb’s icy voice cut through the air. “Maya, you’ve been absent from work for five days without authorization. Starting today, you are officially terminated from the company.” “And, I’ll be reclaiming all the shares I gifted you.” I hadn’t even opened my mouth before the call abruptly ended, leaving me stunned. “Ms. Maya, I’m very satisfied with this house. When can we finalize everything?” “Don’t worry, the full payment will be deposited into your account one week after the process is complete.” The client’s voice pulled me back to reality. I forced a bitter smile. “I’ll arrange for an expedited process. Everything will be completed within 15 days.” I paused, looked around, and spoke again. “Do you need me to handle the interior renovations beforehand?” This villa was the first house Caleb and I bought since starting our business, so I treasured it immensely. Even during the renovation, to make Caleb happy, I had volunteered to oversee the project, waking early and sleeping late every day, putting my heart and soul into the design. But all I got in return was his sarcasm: “Is this the result of all your painstaking efforts?” My memories abruptly stopped. I suddenly realized that for four years, I had constantly chased after Caleb, almost losing myself in the process. The client, seeing my willingness to help with the demolition, looked delighted. “Of course! If you’re willing to help, Ms. Maya, I’ll gladly add an extra one hundred thousand dollars to the original price!” I waved a hand. “I’ve disliked these renovations for a long time, so I’ll handle them for free.” Soon, I arranged for a demolition team, and by that afternoon, all the interior renovations in the villa were completely stripped away. I gazed at the ruins before me, tears involuntarily streaming down my face. It was all over. Caleb, this is truly goodbye. [PayPal: One hundred million dollars received.] The next second, my phone rang abruptly. Seraphina’s haughty voice came through. “Maya, the hundred million you asked for has been transferred to your account. I hope you’ll keep your promise. Caleb and I don’t want to see any trace of you when we return tomorrow!” I spoke coldly. “Don’t you worry.” The villa was sold, the renovations were stripped, and Seraphina had transferred the hundred million she promised. Now, all Caleb owed me was this company. But soon, he would have nothing at all. How could he know that even if he reclaimed the few shares he gifted me, I was still the company’s largest investor? The moment I left, news of my withdrawal of funds would spread throughout the entire company. Pushing my suitcase, I stood at the villa’s entrance one last time. I wasn’t waiting for Caleb, but for a delivery guy. “Please deliver this document to XX Company.” Inside were divorce papers and a lawyer’s letter. Watching the delivery guy’s retreating back, I let out a quiet sigh. Caleb, goodbye forever.

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Three Years After My Boyfriend’s Death I picked up a man from the black market who looked exactly like him. Day after day, I carefully trained him. Hoping he could become a perfect substitute. To replace the deceased Jack. To become my lover. “Don’t eat tomatoes anymore. He didn’t like them,” I instructed. “Don’t call me ‘bro’. He never called me that,” I corrected. “Be good, okay? You look so much like him… I won’t abandon you,” I promised. I always treated him as just a suitable replacement. Until one night. In the hazy darkness. The person who should have been sleeping beside me suddenly reached out and forcefully gripped my neck. “You liar,” he growled. “Didn’t you say you’d only love me for life?” “Yet I’ve barely been dead three years and you’re already looking for a substitute.” “No matter how similar someone else is, they’re not me…” “Liar!!” In the seventh year of my relationship with Jack. He suddenly died. There was no body, not even ashes. Just his subordinate stopping his car in front of me. With a solemn expression, handing me a pocket watch Jack had left behind. Along with the words: “Mr. Shen, please accept our condolences.” I took the watch with an expressionless face. Suddenly remembering the day Jack left. He had already walked to the entryway. Then abruptly turned back. Cupping my face in his hands, he gently kissed my forehead. “I’m really leaving,” he said, his dark pupils reflecting a glint of light. He slowly stroked my hair: “Will you miss me?” I’ve always been difficult with expressing emotions. Except for those uncontrollable moments at night in bed, I could rarely say words like “love”, “like”, or “miss”. So I turned my face away. Coldly telling him: “I won’t.” “What’s there to miss about you?” It was just a business trip, he’d be back in a few days. We’re adults, there’s no need to be so clingy. “…So heartless.” Jack smiled and sighed, his eyes showing a mix of real and feigned disappointment. “Alright, it’s okay.” He didn’t press further, leaning in to brush his soft, cool lips very lightly against the corner of my mouth. “It’s fine if you don’t miss me.” “I’ll miss you.” “Be good and wait for me at home. I’ll be back soon.”

“I’ll be back soon.” But he never came back. I stared at the watch lying silently in my palm. It was the birthday gift I had given Jack last year. He seemed very happy when he received it that day. He hugged me from behind with one arm around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder, using his free hand to play with the pocket watch. After a while, he suddenly bit my neck like a puppy and said to me: “It’s beautiful.” “I love it.” “And I love you. You’re even more beautiful.” I didn’t turn around. His hand moved up, skillfully and swiftly starting to unbutton my shirt collar. … Who would have thought, less than a year later. This pocket watch would return to my hands in this way. As Jack’s posthumous belonging. My heart felt like it was being pricked by countless needles, a dense pain spreading. I unconsciously bit my lower lip hard, tasting blood. A moment later, I suddenly looked up and smiled at Jack’s subordinate. “Condolences? What do I have to grieve about?” “He’s dead, so he’s dead,” I paused, as if genuinely puzzled. “Is that something worth being sad over?” Probably no one expected my words could be so harsh. No one managed to see anything resembling sadness on my face after Jack’s death. I had long been accustomed to disguising myself. Those few subordinates seemed slightly taken aback. But in the end, they said nothing, bowed to me, and drove away.

After that, I sealed away the pocket watch and never looked at it again. Three more hazy years passed. In between, when gathering or socializing with those fair-weather friends and business partners, people would repeatedly bring up Jack while raising their glasses in front of me: “I have to say, Mr. Shen, you really are cold-hearted.” “Although I don’t quite understand that kind of relationship between two men. But you and Jack were together for what, seven years?” “He died just like that in a car accident, and you don’t seem the least bit upset these past few years.” What nonsense. How could I not be upset? Every time I opened and closed my eyes I could see Jack. Even in my dreams, it was still him. But on the surface, I remained unmoved. I took a sip from the glass in front of me and casually said, “What do I have to be upset about?” “Jack and I… were only together for business reasons.” “It’s good that he’s dead… clean,” I said. As soon as the words left my mouth, several people around seemed stunned. I smiled carelessly, clinked my glass with the person opposite me. Then threw back the last bit of liquor left in the glass. “Think about it, with no one to control me anymore, how free am I now, right?” “No more of this clingy guy by my side every day getting jealous over nothing, upset for hours if I so much as glanced at another handsome man. The way I am now, how carefree, don’t you think?” I lowered my head and smiled: “Besides, he left behind quite a large inheritance.” “If I just focused on grieving, it would be quite a waste of all that money. Don’t you agree?” The air grew increasingly tense. I looked around. Guessing that though these people were silent now, as soon as they left they would surely spread rumors. Saying I had long grown tired of Jack, that I had only been with him those years for his money and power. Now that he died unexpectedly, it suited me perfectly. They didn’t know how happy I must be inside. It seemed like a very long time passed. Finally someone slapped their thigh, breaking the awkward atmosphere: “Right, exactly! Whether it was true love or not, the person’s already gone, it’s all in the past, why keep bringing it up?” “If you ask me,” the person turned back to look at me, “Mr. Shen. I happen to be going to the C3 district tomorrow, there are quite a few handsome young men there. Why don’t you come along and take a look, if you fancy anyone, just bring one back?” I glanced at him, not taking the bait. I picked up another glass of alcohol from the table in front of me.

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On our fifth wedding anniversary, my normally aloof professor husband, Alistair, actually cooked for me for the first time. He pulled me close, his eyes full of tenderness. “I’ve neglected you before, Sera. I promise to make it up to you, tenfold.” For the next week, he showered me with daily homemade desserts and candlelight dinners. I genuinely believed my efforts had finally paid off, that I’d melted this ice-cold heartthrob. Even if I was stuffed to the gills every day, I refused to waste a single gesture of his affection. Just as I was lost in this blissful fantasy, a mocking pop-up notification flashed before my eyes: “Professor Alistair Finch is secretly signing his wife up for a life-or-death gamble so he can be with his thirty-years-older ‘true love’!” “He’s even sneaking fattening agents into Sera Thorne’s food, just to be safe. What a devoted man!” That’s when it hit me. My husband was utterly obsessed with Anya, the campus facility manager, who was in her fifties! The “life-swap system” would steal my vitality and restore her youth if I weighed more than Anya in a month. Then, Alistair could finally be with her, just as he wished! I stared at my husband, who was now holding out another pitcher of milk tea to me. Without a second thought, I ordered five pounds of specialized livestock growth enhancer, ready to give him a taste of his own medicine. A month later, seeing Anya’s weight double, Alistair’s eyes blazed with fury. … “Darling, this is the first pitcher of milk tea I’ve made just for you this summer.” Alistair placed the huge pitcher of milk tea in front of me. “Drink it while it’s warm, quickly. It won’t taste as good when it’s cold.” Recalling the pop-up notification, a flicker of suspicion crossed my eyes. I tentatively raised a hand to stop him. “Honey, I don’t really want to drink it.” “I stepped on the scale today and found I’d gained thirty pounds! If I keep drinking like this, I’m afraid I’ll be a two-hundred-pound胖 blob in less than a month…” I hadn’t even finished speaking when Alistair blurted out, “That’s fantastic!” Seeing the genuine delight in his eyes, I finally knew the notification hadn’t lied. My husband was deliberately trying to fatten me up, all to make me lose the life-or-death gamble next month, to hand over my youth and vitality to Anya! I was furious at his heartless betrayal, and a wave of raw disgust surged through me. I’d met Anya. She was the campus facility manager at the university where Alistair taught. She was over fifty, and easily weighed over two hundred pounds! And she wasn’t just heavy; she was short, so her weight seemed to pile up horizontally. At first glance, she looked like a moving mountain of flesh! And *she* was the object of my husband’s obsession? To be with her, he was willing to sacrifice my life without a second thought! “Sera, I didn’t mean it’s good that you’re gaining weight.” Alistair realized his blunder and quickly tried to compensate, adopting a tender expression. “I meant, even if you gained two hundred pounds, you’d still be my precious wife. I’d never dislike you!” But as soon as he finished his sweet talk, he impatiently put a straw into the milk tea pitcher and held it to my lips. “So, let’s drink this, okay? Come on, darling, open wide…” He still hadn’t given up, but I absolutely refused to drink this deadly tea. So, I just raised my hand and knocked it over. Alistair was caught off guard, splashed with milk tea. His usually cold face contorted with anger. “Sera Thorne, what the hell is wrong with you?” “I went to all that trouble to cook for you, and this is how you treat my thoughtfulness?” Hearing his accusation, a storm of hurt churned inside me. My eyes immediately welled up. “Alistair Finch, so you *do* realize it was a ‘trouble’ to treat me well for once?” Alistair and I met in college. He was known as the ice-cold heartthrob, with his brilliant academic record and aloof demeanor. I came from a privileged family and was the beautiful campus queen, yet I willingly sacrificed all my pride, obsessively pursued him for four years, just to finally make him acknowledge my existence. Even after five years of marriage, he rarely touched me. Even our occasional moments of intimacy were brief and unsatisfying. I just assumed he was naturally cold and not into that sort of thing. I even convinced myself that as long as I was with him, enduring a life devoid of passion and excitement was fine. So, a week ago, on our wedding anniversary, when he personally cooked a candlelight dinner and remorsefully told me he’d love me forever, I was overjoyed. I thought he’d finally seen my devotion, that I’d melted this iceberg. I never imagined it was all just an act of deep affection, a scheme to take my life for another woman! I stared fixedly at Alistair, hoping to see guilt or remorse on his face. But there was nothing. Alistair looked as if I’d hit a raw nerve, and he threatened angrily, “If you don’t eat it, don’t even think about getting another one of my homemade lunches!” 2 Not only had he not abandoned his malicious plan to take my life, but he hadn’t hesitated for a second. My seven years of devotion had been all for nothing! My heart completely died for him. I swore I would never let his scheme succeed. To avoid tipping him off, I deliberately lowered my gaze, feigning disappointment. “Honey, I was wrong.” “You’re so busy, yet you worked so hard to cook for me and improve our meals. I shouldn’t have thrown a tantrum and spilled your sweet milk tea…” My feigned submission made Alistair sigh in relief. He, too, put on a loving facade, embracing me reassuringly. “It’s okay. It’s normal for girls to have weight anxiety. I don’t blame you.” “Oh, by the way, darling, haven’t you always loved soufflés? I’ll make you one tomorrow. This time, you *must* eat it all, don’t waste a single bite.” He sounded so patient. Who wouldn’t praise him as a perfect husband? However, the moment I pretended to go shower and left the living room, he immediately revealed his malicious true colors. “Alistair, she didn’t drink the milk tea. Do you think she figured out you were doing it on purpose…?” The person on his video call had a face so wide it practically filled the entire screen, and even a ten-level beauty filter couldn’t hide her age spots and wrinkles. Yet, my husband seemed utterly blind to them, his eyes filled with adoration as he called her “honey” over and over! “So what if she found out? Sera Thorne has been obsessively pursuing me for years. Do you really think she’d be willing to refuse anything good from me?” “Anya, I thought we were destined to be apart because of our thirty-year age difference, but then you suddenly got bound to a life-gambling system that can steal vitality and youth!” “This must be the heavens moved by our true love, granting us a chance to grow old together! I won’t let us miss this opportunity for anything!” Alistair Finch, a mathematics professor, was a staunch materialist, yet he was now devoutly thanking heaven just to be with Anya… Even though I saw his malicious true colors, my heart still ached. But Alistair seemed determined to hurt me more, to make sure I couldn’t soften. He twisted the knife deeper into my heart. He spoke my name with utter disdain: “If it weren’t for needing a good background and connections for my tenure review, and Sera Thorne coming from a prominent family with a CEO for a father, I would never have married her.” “I suppose I fulfilled Sera Thorne’s delusional fantasy, so it’s only right that her vitality should be transferred to you.” “Not to mention, I didn’t directly inject her with fattening agents. I even pretended to be deeply in love, cooked her one lavish meal after another, letting her presumptuously enjoy the kind of treatment that should rightfully belong only to you, Anya.” He comforted Anya. “So even if Sera Thorne finds out the truth, she should die without regrets. Don’t feel any pressure about it.” Alistair Finch’s shamelessness utterly shattered my worldview! Die without regrets? How thick could his skin be to say something like that with a clear conscience?! After enjoying my devotion during our marriage, then shamelessly demanding my father’s help to become the youngest university professor, not only did he show no gratitude, but he wanted to steal my life and drain my last bit of value! How could such a good thing exist in this world?! At that moment, Alistair’s instructions to Anya reached my ears: “However, to be safe, Anya, I’ll make you slimming salads during this period…” Originally, I’d planned to expose his attempt to drug me with fattening agents and cut ties with him then and there. But now, I changed my mind. Simply letting him suffer the consequences wasn’t enough. I needed to give him a taste of his own medicine! I wouldn’t be satisfied until his reputation was utterly ruined! 3 I called my dad’s company: “Didn’t you develop a specialized growth enhancer for livestock a while ago? How does its effect compare to the regular one?” Alistair only knew my family owned a big company but had no idea our main business was animal feed. Giving me fattening agents – he was practically begging for death! The R&D lead respectfully replied, “It’s night and day, Ms. Thorne!” “Just ten milliliters injected into livestock can make them gain ten pounds rapidly in a short amount of time!” Hearing that, I was instantly satisfied. “Prepare three large barrels and send them over.” Alistair loves to mess with food, does he? I’d love to see who fattens whom into a pig first! Early the next morning, I saw Alistair carrying cooked dishes out of the kitchen. “Sera, you’re awake! Perfect, wash up and let’s eat.” Usually, at this hour, he’d still be asleep. It seemed my refusal of the milk tea yesterday had given him a sense of urgency. To quickly get me to two hundred pounds and ensure his ‘true love’ would win, he wasn’t even sparing breakfast! How diligent of him! My counter-attack plan was already in motion. Since he was actively walking into it, I wouldn’t hold back. I feigned delight, grabbed my forks, and immediately sat down. “Honey, you’re so sweet! But why are there vegetables today? I remember you usually only make meat dishes.” Alistair smiled and explained, “A balance of meat and vegetables is healthier.” “Oh, I see. You’re so thoughtful, honey.” I pretended not to notice his faint guilt, complimented him, and then picked up a forkful and put it in my mouth. “Delicious.” Alistair watched me clean my entire bowl, then smiled with relief. He then casually prompted me to step on the scale to check my weight. “Huh? How did I gain another five pounds? I barely ate anything!” Hearing my exclamation, my husband quickly came forward to comfort me. “Maybe the scale is broken? How could you gain five pounds from one meal, right, Sera?” I nodded, playing along with his words. “Then, honey, remember to buy a new one!” “Of course.” I changed my clothes, ready to go out, and glanced into the kitchen. Alistair was busy again, but this time, he was making a vegetable salad. Noticing my gaze on the lunchbox, a flicker of guilt crossed Alistair’s eyes, and he over-explained, “Darling, I’m taking lunch to school.” But that very afternoon, I scrolled through my TikTok feed and saw an identical lunchbox and salad. The caption read: *He said this was just a small token of his affection, with an even bigger surprise waiting for me…* How incredibly lucky, to meet someone much younger who truly loves me. That lunchbox, that caption… could the person who posted this video be Anya? My interest was instantly piqued. I clicked on her profile and found that every post flaunted various expensive gifts. I was all too familiar with those designs. I’d seen them all in Alistair’s Amazon shopping cart. Since they were women’s styles, I naturally assumed they were for me. Every time I saw them, I’d get excited for ages, looking forward to receiving his surprise one day, only to be disappointed every time. It wasn’t that the timing wasn’t right; it was that the recipient was wrong. I clicked on Anya’s videos and noticed she never showed her face. Every caption boasted about the affectionate “toy boy” who gifted her these things. She’d amassed a large following of middle-aged women in their thirties and forties. Every time Anya posted, they’d flock to the comments, praising her luck for finding such a loving toy boy. Little did they know, this wasn’t their “sister” she was talking about—it was her daughter! I found it absolutely sickening. Just as I was about to close the comments, I sharply noticed a very familiar ID. *FinchV*: Something beautiful is about to happen. 4 In the blink of an eye, Anya replied below: *I can’t wait! ❤️* They weren’t even trying to hide it anymore! I gripped my phone, forcing myself to calm down. There was only one week left until the life-gambling game’s weigh-in. I wondered if Alistair would still be smiling then! But what I hadn’t expected was that, despite my efforts to keep a low profile, Alistair had other plans. That very evening, he actually brought Anya home with him. Alistair seemed oblivious to my tightly furrowed brows, enthusiastically introducing her to me: “Sera, this is a highly respected senior colleague from my university. She’s been a great help to me in my work, and I truly admire her.” A campus facility manager with “great prestige”? You’re just blind for falling for this ugly thing and trying to boost her status. I fought the urge to roll my eyes and gestured for Alistair to continue. “Well, she’s thinking of changing jobs, and I remember you once mentioned the company needed a VP. So, I thought she could take the position.” At that, I couldn’t hold back. “Alistair Finch, have you lost your mind?” “Otherwise, why would you even suggest something so ridiculous? Can any random person off the street become a company VP?” “Oh, wait, no. Given this ‘senior colleague’s’ size, she’s more like a pig!” Both their faces instantly changed. Alistair, especially, roared at me, “Sera Thorne, how can you insult a senior colleague like that! She takes such good care of me!” “How did your parents raise you? Where’s your upbringing! Apologize to her, now!” Taking care of him in bed, perhaps? I suppressed the urge to completely lose it and retorted angrily, “Saying no to idiots—that’s exactly what my parents taught me!” Alistair was about to speak again, but Anya pulled his hand, consoling him. “Alistair, you’re just trying to help me out of kindness. If it’s not possible, then let it be.” “You two shouldn’t argue because of me.” Her understanding demeanor moved Alistair deeply. His usual aloofness was forgotten. After shooting me a harsh glare, he doted on Anya, asking about her comfort as he saw her out. He didn’t return until the next day, but he was back to being his ‘good husband’ self, apologizing and sweet-talking me. However, the double-dosed meals the next day told me he wanted to tear me limb from limb. And wasn’t that exactly what I wanted to do to him? We continued our charade, sleeping in the same bed yet worlds apart, for several more days. Then, on the evening of the seventh day, as I feigned sleep, I heard a voice in my mind say, “Life-gambling game weigh-in, officially starting!” I opened my eyes again to find myself standing on a massive circular platform. A sinister voice came from behind me. “Sera Thorne, confused, aren’t you?” I turned at the sound and saw another platform not far away, with Anya standing on it, hands on her hips, laughing wildly. “This is the Scales of Fate! Whoever weighs more will surrender their life force to the other!” “You didn’t know, did you? All these days, Alistair Finch has been secretly giving you fattening agents, all to make you heavier than me, so he can swap your youth for mine!” The life-swap system, with its twisted sense of humor, split a screen to Alistair. He looked at me and said, “Sera Thorne, if you had just been obedient and given Anya that VP position, I would have considered giving you a dignified end!” “But you’re ungrateful and asked for trouble, so I won’t hold back!” “Anya, once you win, just suck her dry!” “Sera Thorne, you’re finished!” Seeing them so sure of their victory, I sneered, “Oh really? I don’t think so!” “Weigh-in complete! I announce that the winner of this competition is—” Anya strode forward, chest puffed out, ready to claim her prize, when the System’s voice echoed eerily, “Sera Thorne!”

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When I was eight months pregnant, my husband, Liam, completely ignored my protests. He was dead set on having a baby with his childhood friend, Scarlett, who was supposedly terminally ill. He said it was to fulfill her dying wish to be a mother. I was so furious that my water broke. There was blood. I called Liam eighteen times, but he didn’t answer a single one. By the time I was rushed to the hospital, it was too late. I’d lost the baby. Then I scrolled through SnapChat and saw Scarlett’s pregnancy results plastered all over her story. Later, Liam said coldly, “It just wasn’t meant to be for that baby, Stella. Why are you taking it out on Scarlett? She’s sick. Once her baby is born, we can just have another one.” Everyone thought I was madly in love with my husband, certain I’d swallow my hurt as always. But this time, I signed the divorce papers without hesitation, bought a plane ticket, and left the country. I saw my ex-husband again two years later at a class reunion. The moment I walked into the private room, he shoved a two-year-old boy into my arms, a smug look on his face. “Stella, you’ve thrown a tantrum for two years now. Isn’t it time to cool off? Just apologize to me publicly, and I might even let Leo call you ‘Mom’!” Everyone around us snickered, whispering that I’d gotten a fantastic deal, becoming a mother without any of the pain. But I simply held up my left hand, flashing the wedding ring on my finger. “I already have a husband and a child of my own. I don’t need to be anyone’s second-hand mother!”

The room fell silent the instant I finished speaking. Everyone stared at me in shock, then burst out laughing. “Oh, come on, Stella. Everyone knows you were obsessed with Liam! When he had kidney failure, you gave him one of your own kidneys. Do you really think someone like you would just marry someone else?” “Seriously, can’t you at least draft your angry words before blurting them out?” A cold laugh bubbled up inside me as I listened to their gossip. I couldn’t blame them for being shocked. The old me truly did love Liam with all my heart. When he was diagnosed with kidney failure, I didn’t hesitate to donate a kidney to him. Even now, on rainy days, my left kidney still aches. I always gave him the sweetest part of the watermelon and, knowing he didn’t like the seeds in dragon fruit, I’d pick each tiny seed out with a toothpick. Because I loved him, I even tolerated him going on dates with Scarlett again and again. I tolerated him styling Scarlett’s hair and gently wiping her mouth right in front of me. As long as he came home and remembered he had a wife, I thought it was enough. Everyone knew I was a total simp for him, and they all instinctively assumed I was just lashing out. Coming back to my senses, Scarlett picked up a bottle of wine from the table and walked towards me, saying casually, “Stella, I know you’re still upset about what happened two years ago.” “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t been diagnosed with a terminal illness, Liam wouldn’t have tried to have a baby with me to fulfill my last wish. If not for that, you wouldn’t have been so upset that you hemorrhaged and lost your baby.” “Since everyone’s here today, I’ll punish myself with a bottle. Consider this my public apology!” She grabbed the bottle and gulped it down. The harsh liquor made her choke and cough violently. Liam couldn’t sit still. He handed Leo to a colleague, rushed forward, snatched the bottle, and said, his voice a mix of anger and concern, “Scarlett, are you crazy? How could you drink so much? Even if your condition has been stable these past few years, you’re still a patient!” After comforting Scarlett, Liam shot me a haughty glance, his voice cold. “Stella, you’ve been throwing a tantrum for two years. That’s enough!” “Scarlett and I only did IVF; we didn’t even *act* like a couple. Are you really going to be this petty about such a small thing for two whole years?” The others chimed in. “Stella is just too stubborn. She got to be a mom without any of the pain, what a steal!” “Liam has been looking for her all these years. She left for two years, and he looked for two years. It’s time to move on from the past.” So, abandoning me at eight months pregnant to go have a baby with Scarlett was just a “small thing” in Liam’s eyes? What surprised me, though, was that Liam had actually been looking for me? What for? Lost in thought, I heard Liam continue, talking to himself, “Alright, Stella. Leo needs someone to take care of him. Since you’re back, you can take care of him from now on. Even though Leo isn’t your biological child, you’re his nominal mother, you should be responsible for him.” I actually laughed. Liam wanted me to be his baby nurse? But I wasn’t the Stella he could manipulate so easily two years ago. The moment he abandoned me and our baby to go have a child with Scarlett, my heart turned cold. I left the country without a second thought. And I wasn’t just talking out of anger earlier; I really was married with a child. After leaving the country, I found a new job, and before long, I met my husband, Julian. He helped me through that dark period, and soon, we were married and had an adorable son. Thinking about Julian and Finn filled my heart with warmth. Coming back to reality, I refused him coldly. “No, thanks. I have my own child to take care of. As for your Leo, perhaps his biological mother should take care of him.” Hearing this, Scarlett’s eyes immediately welled up. “Stella, I know you resent me for causing you to lose your baby, so you don’t want to take care of my child.” “I want to raise Leo myself, but my body just won’t allow it… I trusted you, which is why I entrusted him to your care. Leo is such a good boy, he doesn’t cry or fuss, he won’t be much trouble. Please, I’m begging you, take pity on a mother like me and help me take care of Leo…” Scarlett made a show of trying to kneel. Liam quickly helped her up and comforted her. Then he turned, giving me a cold glance. “It’s an honor to take care of Leo. Don’t be ungrateful!” His gaze fell on my clothes, and Liam scoffed. “Stella, I guess you didn’t have it easy overseas these past two years, did you? You couldn’t even bother to wear something decent to a class reunion.” “If you take good care of Leo, I can give you ten thousand a month for pocket money. That’s way more than you’d earn from any job.” Scarlett, playing the hostess, chimed in, “That’s right. You take good care of Leo, and Liam and I won’t shortchange you. At least you won’t have to wear off-brand clothes if you stick with us.” That’s when everyone noticed my casual outfit. Immediately, sneers erupted. “How did Stella fall so low? She can’t even afford proper clothes!” “If she knew this would happen, why did she act so stubborn back then? I heard Liam’s company really took off after she left. If she hadn’t stormed off abroad, she’d be set for life now.” I just curled my lips into a cold smile. They had no idea. The clothes I was wearing weren’t off-brand at all. They were custom-made by a master designer, pure silk, each piece worth hundreds of thousands. Seeing me smile, Liam mistakenly thought I had agreed to take care of Leo. He pulled out his phone, ready to transfer the money. “Here’s ten thousand. Go buy some decent clothes later, so Leo doesn’t catch your poor vibe.” But as soon as he sent the message, a bright red exclamation mark popped up!

Liam’s brows furrowed, his face darkening. “Stella, you blocked me?!” I found it amusing. I’d blacklisted and deleted him two years ago. Was he only just realizing it now? Liam felt his face burning. He demanded I add him back immediately. But I said coldly, “He’s just an ex-husband. Why would I add him? Besides, my husband doesn’t let me add other men. He gets jealous.” Seeing me repeatedly refuse to give him face, Liam finally lost his temper . “Stella, have you had enough of this act? I’ve given you an out. If you insist on making a scene, then we’re divorcing!” In the past, Liam would often threaten me with divorce whenever he was displeased, forcing me to back down. He thought he could still control me as easily this time. But I just gave a cold laugh. “Liam, did you forget? We divorced two years ago.” The whole room went silent. Liam froze for a moment. “What are you talking about?” Then, as if a thought struck him, he sneered, “I know! This is your game of push and pull, isn’t it? Two years apart, and you’ve certainly gotten a lot more cunning!” I rolled my eyes, speechless. “Liam, didn’t you see the letter I left you two years ago?” Liam looked confused. “What letter?” Before I left the country, I’d left a letter for Liam. Inside the envelope weren’t just my wedding ring, but also a signed divorce agreement. That divorce agreement was one I’d made him sign the day he ignored my pleas and insisted on having a child with Scarlett. He’d always been dismissive of me, signing it without even looking. He probably hadn’t bothered to properly check the contents of the envelope two years ago. That’s why he didn’t know we were already divorced, thinking I was just throwing a tantrum. Thinking about it, I sneered, then pulled out the duplicate copy of the divorce agreement from that year and shoved it in Liam’s face. “Liam, the letter I wrote you back then contained the signed divorce agreement. I had two copies, and this is the other one. Take a good look. We’re already divorced.” Liam’s face grew even darker. He was about to say the divorce agreement was fake, but when he saw his own signature clearly on it, he froze. “How can this be? I clearly never signed—” “No, you did sign it. Remember the papers I handed you the day you moved out?” At my reminder, Liam finally realized, belatedly, that what I’d made him sign that day was the divorce agreement. His face turned ashen. Everyone else was surprised too. “Stella actually filed for divorce? Did her love-addicted brain finally wake up?” “If they’re divorced, why is she back? I bet she still can’t let Liam go.” Hearing this, Liam raised his chin, confidently believing I still had feelings for him. Little did he know, my return to the country was primarily to accompany my husband and son. Julian happened to be coming back for a business gala, and Finn wanted to take advantage of the spring break to visit a water park here Right after arriving, I received the reunion invitation and just decided to drop by. I was about to shatter Liam’s fantasy when his phone rang. It was his assistant. “Mr. Hayes, we just got word that Mr. Thorne from Thorne Industries is bringing his wife and child back to the country. They’ll also be attending tonight’s business gala. The Chairman wants us to add an extra seat and treat them exceptionally well.” “The Chairman specifically told us to treat Mr. Thorne’s wife especially well. After all, Mr. Thorne is known for doting on his wife. As long as we keep her happy, we won’t have to worry about future collaborations.” Only then did I realize Liam’s company was hosting this business gala. After Liam hung up, everyone rushed to flatter him. “Liam, Thorne Industries is a giant in the industry! Your company can actually collaborate with Thorne Industries? Your future is limitless!” “I heard all the big shots in the business world will be at this gala. Can you help us old classmates make some connections?” Liam shot me a triumphant glance, speaking condescendingly. “Stella, do you regret stubbornly divorcing me now?” “If you agree to take care of Leo, I might consider remarrying you…” I scoffed internally. Thorne Industries was my husband’s company, and I was the very wife they wanted to impress. Before Liam could finish, I cut him off coldly, “Thorne Industries wouldn’t even *look* at your company.” Beside him, Scarlett, who had been silent for a while, shot me a disdainful look. “How would *you* know?” I enunciated each word clearly: “Because, I *am* Mr. Thorne’s wife.” As soon as I said that, everyone thought I’d gone mad. They looked at me like I was an idiot. Scarlett even let out a scoffing laugh. “If you’re Mr. Thorne’s wife, then I’m Mr. Thorne’s mother!” “Everyone knows Mr. Thorne dotes on his wife. He once spent hundreds of millions on a pink diamond bracelet that lit up the headlines for her! Mr. Thorne’s wife is incredibly precious, worth hundreds of millions. How could a nobody like you impersonate her?” “Look at yourself, what about you even remotely resembles Mr. Thorne’s wife?” But I slowly rolled up my sleeve, revealing the pink diamond bracelet on my wrist. “Are you talking about *this* bracelet?”

Everyone was stunned. “The news about Mr. Thorne lighting up the sky for that bracelet was everywhere! That bracelet looks just like the one Stella is wearing!” “So… Stella really is Mr. Thorne’s wife?” Scarlett froze when she saw the bracelet on my wrist. A flicker of jealousy and malice flashed in her eyes. The next second, she unexpectedly snatched my watch, saying in a snide, passive-aggressive tone, “Stella, how dare you try to fool people with a fake watch! How could you impersonate Mr. Thorne’s wife?” “Don’t get me wrong, this fake is pretty good, but a fake is still a fake, it can never be real.” “Liam is about to collaborate with Mr. Thorne. Are you trying to ruin Liam by impersonating Mr. Thorne’s wife at a time like this?” I glared at her coldly. “Who told you this watch is fake? This watch is genuine, now give it back!” But Scarlett refused to return it, even deliberately tucking the watch into her clothes. I stepped forward, trying to snatch it back, but she stumbled backward, collapsing to the ground, her eyes red as she looked at me. “Stella, I can’t believe you hate me so much. Not only did you deliberately push me, but to target me, you’re dragging Liam down with you. Fine, I’ll take Leo and leave, so I don’t bother you anymore…” Scarlett cried and made a scene, threatening to leave. Two years, and she was still pulling the same tricks. And Liam, as always, fell for it. This time too, he protected her, yelling at me. “That’s enough, Stella! Scarlett is a patient, are you trying to kill her?! You’re the one who was in the wrong first, impersonating Mr. Thorne’s wife! Are you trying to ruin our company’s collaboration? Two years apart, and you’ve become so malicious!” Meeting Scarlett’s defiant gaze, I scoffed inwardly. She wasn’t sick at all. Her terminal illness was fake, and her medical records were forged. I had told Liam this before, but he didn’t believe me, accusing me of making baseless accusations instead. Even now, he still didn’t believe me. I was too lazy to argue, assuming Liam would continue to harass me as he had in the past. But he sighed helplessly instead. “Fine, I see Scarlett likes this watch. Just give it to her as an apology. Let’s drop this, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything that just happened.” That watch was a special gift from Julian. Was he seriously expecting me to just give it away? No way. I snatched the watch back, saying coldly, “This is a gift from my husband. You have no right to touch it!” The sharp diamond edge cut Liam’s finger. Seeing me refuse to back down, he pursed his lips tightly. “Stella, it’s just a cheap bracelet. If I wasn’t trying to give you an out, do you really think we’d even care?” “Scarlett, it’s just a watch, right? I’ll buy you an even more expensive and better one. Let *some people* regret it!” I couldn’t be bothered to argue further and turned to leave the room. Afterward, I went back to the hotel where I was staying to rest. In the evening, I quickly got ready and headed to the business gala. Before I left, Julian sent me a message, telling me that the water park show had just ended, and he was bringing Finn over. He told me to go in first and wait for them. Knowing my husband and son loved cake, I took a plate with a small slice of cake, planning to find a seat and wait for them. The moment I turned, I ran into Liam and Scarlett, both dressed to the nines. Seeing it was me, Liam’s eyes flashed with disdain. “What are *you* doing here? What, did you come here specifically to get back together with me?” “You were so tough earlier, but now you look pathetic!” Seeing the cake in my hand, Scarlett scoffed mockingly, “Stella, could you be a server here? I heard the servers here only make four thousand. That’s not even as fast as taking care of our Leo!” Liam’s face was full of arrogance. “Stella, if you beg me, I might, for old times’ sake, make an exception and let you take care of Leo.” I replied calmly, “Don’t misunderstand. I’m not a server. I’m here waiting for my husband and child.” Scarlett, however, looked like she’d heard the funniest joke. “Stella, Mr. Thorne is the only one bringing his child to this gala today. You’re not still going to claim you’re Mr. Thorne’s wife, are you?” “I am, actually.” Hearing me say this, Scarlett crossed her arms and sneered. “Stella, you’re addicted to lying! How dare you talk nonsense and claim such connections at such an important event, and still wear that fake watch!” “If Mr. Thorne and his wife found out, we’d all be in deep trouble!” Before I could react, Scarlett rushed forward, snatched the bracelet from my wrist, and smashed it fiercely onto the ground. The sharp diamond cut a gash on my wrist, drawing crimson blood. Before I could even cry out in pain, Scarlett shoved me to the ground, then grabbed a nearby cake plate and threw it at my face, snarling, “I’ll teach you a lesson for trying to impersonate Mr. Thorne’s wife!” Cake smeared all over my face. The sticky cream clogged my nostrils, nearly suffocating me. I reached up to wipe the cream away, but Scarlett pressed her sharp stiletto heel down hard on my hand, grinding it repeatedly. Excruciating pain shot through my entire body; I could almost hear my bones cracking. When the people in the hall realized I was an imposter, they all laughed at my misfortune. Liam simply watched, his expression cold. Just then, someone in the crowd shouted, “Mr. Thorne is here!” Everyone immediately looked towards the entrance. I waved my arms wildly, trying to get Julian’s attention. But Liam grabbed my hand, whispering, “Stella, behave! I know you came here specifically because you’re jealous.” “As long as you don’t make a scene, I can consider remarrying you after the gala, and we can even have another child…” He tried to pull me up, but I snatched my hand back in disgust. Julian had noticed me. He walked towards me, holding Finn, his voice dangerously cold. “What’s going on?” Scarlett’s face was full of flattery. “Mr. Thorne, this woman is an imposter trying to pretend to be your wife! I’ve already taught her a good lesson for you!” Liam chimed in, “That’s right, Mr. Thorne, you don’t need to bother with someone like her.” The next second, Finn let go of Julian’s hand and ran towards me, tears streaming down his face. “Mommy, why is your face covered in cream, and your hand, it’s bleeding…” Suddenly, everyone present was stunned. “What? Did I hear that right? Mr. Thorne’s son just called that imposter ‘Mommy’?” “So… that means the person on the ground isn’t an imposter, but the real deal?”

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I used my life force to nurture a beast-man bodyguard. For six years, I loved and pitied him, pouring out my whole heart only to receive a cold response: “Don’t try to tame me.” During the beast riots, he protected another girl, leaving me to be trampled. He was supposed to be my bodyguard. Yet he always abandoned me. He even wrapped his scorpion tail around my neck, forcing me to use my blood to save that girl. He didn’t know that every drop of blood I shed reduced my lifespan. Nor did he know this was the last of my life force. “Olivia, I promise I’ll be good to you from now on. Please, save her.” The once proud beast-man finally knelt on the ground, acknowledging me as his master. My fingers gradually became transparent. “But we don’t have a future anymore.” His scorpion tail thrashed wildly, his eyes consumed by bestial instinct. He had gone berserk. “Sophia……” Even now, he called her name. I let him bite my arm. As the fresh blood entered his throat, he slowly calmed down. “Thank you……” Instead of whining about the pain as usual, I pushed him away and wiped the remaining blood on some plants. The withered leaves instantly recovered. My life force diminished a bit more. “I’m moving near the lab. You’re my bodyguard, so you have to come with me.” Lucas froze. “But……” “I nurture you with my blood every month, not so you can deal with her heat cycles.” His chest was covered in love marks. I forced myself to look away, my eyes stinging. The words of accusation on the tip of my tongue. Turned into a threat instead. “Don’t forget your mission. If anything happens to me, the Federation won’t let you off.” Post-apocalypse. The biosphere had been reshuffled, and food crops were on the brink of extinction. I was the Federation’s only botanist. “Understood.” Lucas lowered his eyelids. “Then I’ll go out first.” As he reached the door, I called out to him. “Lucas, what do you think our relationship is?” He stopped. His broad shoulders shrugged, honey-colored muscles tensing. On his waist was the indelible mark of a disposable item. If I hadn’t spent half my life protecting him back then, he would have been dead long ago. “Employer and bodyguard.” “You provide me with blood, I protect you.” The expected answer. No matter how much I gave, his heart would never have room for me. Why force it? He would never be my Ethan. He would never cherish me above all else. No matter how similar they looked, he wasn’t him. Tears blurred my vision. I tried to wipe them away, but my fingertips had turned transparent. “I might not be able to afford your wages anymore.” I was disappearing. Lucas didn’t take it seriously. “Then I’ll find a new employer.” He strode out, leaving the door ajar, and me sobbing quietly. I often joked with him. But this time, it was real.

I had just gotten up, but Lucas was already fully equipped and standing at the front door. “The clothes are all here, and the documents are organized.” He frowned slightly, his slender fingers brushing away stray hair as he carefully checked the luggage. “The calming incense got a bit damp, so I didn’t bring it. I’ll buy you new ones later.” “I packed the stuffed animal separately……” “Throw it away.” I said flatly. That stuffed animal was a gift from Lucas. He had originally intended to give it to Sophia, but when she refused, he passed it on to me. Pathetically, I had treasured it. Lucas was stunned. “Why?” This was the first time he hadn’t obeyed my order. “Don’t you really like it? Keep it……” “Lucas!” A girl ran into the yard with light steps, throwing herself into Lucas’s arms. “Thank you so much for yesterday. I came to express my gratitude.” Lucas stiffened, not knowing where to put his hands, his ears turning red and hot where the girl couldn’t see. His scorpion tail raised high, afraid of hurting her. I glanced at the back of my hand. It was red and swollen from being grazed by the poison needle last night, almost breaking the skin. Maybe I was used to it, as I couldn’t feel the pain anymore. “Oh? Isn’t this the doll I didn’t want?” Sophia picked up the beautifully packaged stuffed animal, examining it. “Why is it here?” “Did you give it to Olivia?” Lucas glanced at me. Slightly hesitant. “Uh…… no.” I turned my face away, unconsciously clenching my hand at my side. He said: “I forgot to throw it away at home. It’s just trash.” His scorpion tail hooked. The stuffed animal was flung into the garbage pile. Its plush face still wore a smile as it tumbled down, soaked in filth and slime. “I knew it. How could you give Olivia the trash I didn’t want?” Lucas caught sight of my pale face, his pupils trembling before quickly looking away. I didn’t know if it was guilt or pity. He was afraid Sophia would misunderstand. So he chose to hurt me. Well, there was no comparison between me and her. Even gifts were just leftovers others didn’t want. I unclenched my hand. Several crescent-shaped marks were left on my palm. “Throw away the luggage. I’ll buy new ones.” “I don’t want any of it anymore.” I looked at Lucas. “Including you, I don’t want you anymore either.”

I applied to the Federation for a new bodyguard. “Are you sure?” “You spent half your life saving Lucas.” The Commander smiled. “Miss Olivia, the crops in the East District are growing well. Would you like to take a look?” “It took half your blood.” “And the place where you knelt and kowtowed in the Council Chamber has grown green grass. That beast-man doesn’t know, does he?” “How could such a failed genetic experiment be worth you risking your life?” “Oh, I forgot, he looks just like Miss Olivia’s childhood sweetheart. No wonder……” I had already made up my mind. Replace Lucas, never have anything to do with him again. The next day. The new bodyguard sent by the Federation arrived. It was a tiger beast, even taller than Lucas, with a snow-white long tail curled around the luggage. “Hello, Miss Olivia.” I cleared out the room I had prepared for Lucas and let the tiger beast move in. Just as I was explaining his duties, the doorbell rang. I didn’t go to open it. Lucas waited outside for a while, thinking no one was home, so he entered the passcode himself. “Incorrect passcode—” He thought he had misheard. He tried again. “Incorrect passcode.” He started knocking on the door. Annoyed by the noise, I asked the tiger beast to send him away. A huge crash shook the whole house. I rushed out to see Lucas wrestling with him, neither giving way, tearing down the front door. “Stop!” Lucas looked up, jealousy almost materializing and dripping down. His scorpion tail stabbed forcefully into the tiger beast’s waist. With a muffled groan, the tiger beast collapsed, his skin visibly turning purple. “Are you crazy!” I slapped Lucas hard. His head turned to the side, splattering several drops of blood. Only then did I notice the bloody hole on the back of his head where the tiger beast had clawed him. “Who is he?” Lucas stared intently at the man. “My new bodyguard.” I supported the tiger beast, quickly cutting open my arm to feed him my blood. Lucas’s eyes turned red. “I am your bodyguard.” The fire in him died down, and he stood there at a loss, especially when he got no response from me. Even his scorpion tail drooped. “I am your bodyguard……” “You can’t protect me,” I said coldly. “Get out.” He stood rooted to the spot. Perhaps realizing he had gone too far before, he mumbled, unable to utter a word of rebuttal. “I can……” “I’ll definitely protect you well from now on, with my life……” Lucas’s face was reflected in the glass window, his jaw clenched, gaze locked on me. He didn’t even blink as blood flowed into his eyes. “Give me one more chance.” The tiger beast woke up. He pushed me away and rushed towards the door, afraid of getting stung again. “Olivia, no one is more suitable for this job than me,” Lucas stepped forward. “I can protect you.” I was silent for a while. Looking at him. “You said you’d protect me with your life.” Lucas nodded vigorously. “I promise.”

I could sense my life force draining away. For some reason I felt tired, slept longer, and even the plants in the lab were no longer fully under my control. “I’m tired. I’m going back first.” “Alright, Doctor.” Lucas was waiting outside the lab. He stuffed a hot water bottle he had been holding for a long time into my arms, saying nothing, walking on the windward side to block the flying snow. “Cough cough—” I coughed violently. The experiment earlier had used up a lot of energy. I could barely stand steady and started running a fever as soon as I got home. Lucas used cold water to wipe my body over and over. “Ethan……” I was delirious with fever, my hand gently caressing Lucas’s cheek. “I love you so much……” He suddenly grabbed my hand. “The Ethan you’re calling, is it me?” “Who is your Ethan?” I closed my eyes, about to fall asleep in a daze. Lucas kept asking. “Stop asking. Ethan is you, okay……” He breathed a sigh of relief, the tension in his back finally relaxing. He took out a photo hidden in his pocket. Examining it carefully, the man’s face was identical to his, but Lucas couldn’t remember ever taking such a photo. “Maybe I forgot.” He muttered to himself. As he pulled up the blanket, the woman’s semi-transparent hand caught his attention. Lucas’s heart skipped a beat. When he blinked, her hand had returned to normal. “Ding—” The ringtone interrupted his thoughts. “Lucas, you haven’t comed his thoughts. “Lucas to see me in so long……” Sophia was drunk on the other end. “If you don’t come, I might be taken away……” Lucas put on his coat and was about to leave. I grabbed him. “Don’t go. Stay and take care of me. I feel so bad……” “I’m about to die……” He broke free. “Don’t talk nonsense.” “Sophia has an emergency. I have to go over there first.” His retreating figure was resolute, never lingering for even half a second for me. He was supposed to be my bodyguard, yet he always left me behind. He had promised to protect me with his life. Lucas, I trusted you time and time again. Everything Sophia said was true. “If the Federation hadn’t forced him, he would never be your bodyguard.” “The person Lucas cares about most is me. Olivia, even if you died in front of him one day, he wouldn’t feel an ounce of pity.” “You’re just a burden to him.” Whether it was during the beast riots three years ago when he left me in the eye of the storm, or three years later when I told him I was dying. Lucas never took it to heart. I called my assistant. “Take out the blood I stored for Lucas before.” “Yes, give it to the North District for them to cultivate crops.” I wouldn’t leave anything for him anymore.

On a rare day off, I went to the bar alone. It was mostly beast-people inside. Seeing me, a pure human, they couldn’t help but be curious, gathering around. “Hey sis.” A young man sat down beside me, his yellow ears perked up. “Let’s play together.” “I’ll teach you a game we beast-people play……” His tail unconsciously wrapped around my arm, soft and furry, feeling nice. “Are you a cat?” He paused, then smiled, revealing sharp teeth. “Yeah, do you like it? Many people……” Before he could finish, he was lifted up by the neck. The young man was about to get angry. Seeing the poison needle suspended in front of his eyes, he immediately deflated. Lucas stood tall, his mere presence driving away many beast-people. In the dim light, his expression was unclear, but the veins on his neck were clearly visible. “He’s not a cat, he’s a leopard.” “It’s so dangerous outside. How could you go out alone? Or is he your new bodyguard?” I stared straight at Lucas. “Put him down, then get out.” An invisible pressure spread through the bar. Lucas took a deep breath and threw the young man to the ground. Instead of leaving, he came closer to me. “Let’s go home.” “The magnetic field has been unstable lately. Be careful of riots.” “What riots?” someone spoke up. “General Ethan is about to return. Who would dare rebel!” I instinctively looked towards the bar entrance. No one. A wave of disappointment washed over me. Lucas saw it clearly. His heart inexplicably irritated. “Let’s go.” He reached out to pull me. The young man suddenly pounced, biting Lucas’s arm hard, tearing at it. Immediately after, red-eyed beast-people surged from all corners of the bar, attacking anything alive, especially pure humans. Countless eyes stared at me hungrily. If Lucas dared to leave, I would be torn to shreds. “Lucas!” Sophia crouched in the corner, tears falling in big drops. “I’m scared!” Out of survival instinct, I clutched Lucas’s clothes tightly, my fingernails curling up and bleeding. “Protect me, you’re my bodyguard!” He tried to break free. “Don’t you dare! If you leave me, I’ll have the Commander kill you and Sophia!” Lucas hesitated. At that moment, Sophia was pounced on by a tiger beast. “Sophia!” I don’t remember much of what happened after that, but anyway, Lucas abandoned me again. It hurt so much. I bled so much. Herbivorous beast-people fought over the grass and flowers growing on the floor, while carnivorous ones greedily sucked at my wounds. A flash of white light passed before my eyes. Time seemed to freeze, and the next second, all the beast-people collapsed on the ground. I was lifted up. “Olivia, hold onto me.” The light shone on his face. Was it Lucas? No, he was never this gentle, never called me Olivia, and would never hold me in his arms. “Ethan……” “Mm.”

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The first time I noticed something was off was when I smelled unfamiliar body wash on my husband. We always use the same brand and scent at home. So that day, when Lucas came home and leaned in to kiss me, I immediately sensed something wasn’t right. “Did you shower somewhere else today?” I asked casually. “A bird pooped on my head. I didn’t want to stink up the house, so I showered at the university before coming home,” he replied smoothly. I smiled and let my gaze flit across his face. He was too calm. So I joked, “Good thing it didn’t happen back in your hometown. They’d say you need to eat ‘hundred-family rice’ to ward off bad luck!” That night, before my shower, I pulled out the clothes he’d tossed in the washing machine. I sniffed them carefully but couldn’t detect any scent other than body wash. How could a man go from morning to night, interacting with who knows how many people, without picking up even a hint of cigarette smoke, perfume, sweat, or food smells? I examined his clothes more closely. The average adult male loses about 50 hairs a day, with the collar being a hotspot. Yet his shirt didn’t have a single hair on it! It was as clean as if he’d just put it on before coming home. That night, he was particularly passionate in bed. A phrase popped into my mind: “Paying his dues.” I felt nauseated. I have mild OCD, and even though there was still uncertainty about the situation, the whole process felt like swallowing a dead fly. “Honey, you seem distracted tonight,” Lucas said, hugging me from behind afterward. “Did you hear something upsetting during a therapy session again?” I’m a hypnotherapist. Many people think we’re like clear mirrors or ethereal beings. In reality, we deal with people with psychological issues every day. As the saying goes, ‘When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back.’ The little monsters in our clients’ minds often project onto us, creating new little monsters in our own minds. Most of the time, we can self-regulate. When we can’t, we turn to colleagues for help. “It was a case about chronic infidelity,” I made up on the spot. “The guy was a notorious playboy. He used to cheat in secret, but after his wife found out, he started bringing his mistresses home.” “The wife, my client, is devastated,” I continued, turning to face him with a frown. “Why are you men so unfaithful?” “That’s like tarring everyone with the same brush!” Lucas pinched my waist playfully. “Not all men are unfaithful! It depends on their moral compass.” “Some men have no moral compass and sleep with anyone they can. Others, like your husband, have high moral standards. I’m your first and I’ll be your last.” I couldn’t detect any signs of deception in his micro-expressions. But that was normal. It would have been abnormal if I could. As an associate professor of mathematics, Lucas was pure logic. In terms of IQ, he outclassed me by far. Lucas and I met in college. We both did our bachelor’s and master’s degrees consecutively – me in psychology, him in mathematics. Everyone said we were a power couple, two rational minds colliding. After our master’s, we got married as everyone expected. He started teaching undergrads at the university while working on his PhD. With my advisor’s support and my parents’ financial help, I opened a psychological counseling practice. I majored in applied psychology, with hypnotherapy as a subspecialty. Psychology got a late start in the US. In the early days, people were more skeptical than accepting of not just hypnotherapy, but psychology in general. Many thought the whole field was a scam. My practice struggled at first but slowly improved. After handling a few big cases, I gained a small reputation in the industry. Reputation may seem intangible, but it brings tangible benefits. The practice’s revenue skyrocketed. There’s a saying: “A woman’s sense of security doesn’t come from a man, but from money.” Because I was earning more, my status at home rose, and I felt more secure. I was almost certain Lucas wouldn’t cheat. But reality slapped me hard in the face- The day after I noticed something off, he picked me up from work and hugged me as usual. With suspicions planted by the clothing incident, I didn’t hesitate to slip a lipstick into his coat pocket when I saw his overly clean clothes again. Then I pretended nothing happened and happily went to dinner with him. During the meal, he excused himself to the restroom for a full ten minutes. When he returned, he looked uneasy. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “Nothing, just some work stuff,” he replied. “Do you need to go back to the university?” “No, I’ll deal with it tomorrow.” Two skilled actors – I played the clueless wife to perfection, while he convincingly portrayed a man troubled by work issues. Back home, he took off his coat and grabbed his phone to shower. I felt his coat pocket – the lipstick was gone. Typical guilty behavior. I tiptoed to the bathroom door. First, I heard the ‘ping’ of incoming SnapChat messages. Then his lowered voice, tinged with rebuke: “Who else could it be? No need to explain!… I’m home, we’ll talk tomorrow!” My heart sank. Before marriage, we had both expressed the same view: “Zero tolerance for cheating, no compromises.” I stepped back, poured myself a drink, and sat on the couch, pondering my next move… We didn’t have kids, so divorce would only involve property division. Apart from fixed assets (house, car, collectibles, savings), Lucas managed all our joint assets. He bought stocks, funds, and insurance policies, all linked to his bank cards. I rarely inquired about them… “Honey, what made you feel like drinking tonight?” Lucas asked as he came out of the bathroom, toweling his hair. “Just for fun!” I raised my glass in his direction, with a hint of invitation. “I saw you go straight to shower when you got home, so I thought you… weren’t you?” “I was,” he said, coming over to kiss me. Two people with no real desire, both pretending to be in the mood. I still felt as nauseated as if I’d swallowed a dead fly, but I kept reminding myself: “Don’t let him realize I know.” I’ve seen many divorces. No matter how much couples once swore eternal love, when it comes to dividing assets, few remain dignified – most turn ugly. I didn’t want to see Lucas’s ugly side, nor did I want him to see mine. So the best approach was: “Gracefully calculate what needs to be calculated first.” I’m a selfish person. I don’t want years of hard work to benefit someone else. The next day, I did two things. First: “I went to a law firm and hired a lawyer to advise me on the next steps.” “The lawyer approved of my actions from the night before. Don’t confront him yet, prepare everything before showing your hand. You want to catch him off guard.” He was slightly concerned about the lipstick: “You were a bit impulsive. With your husband’s intelligence, he’ll quickly suspect you planted it.” I replied, “He has no proof, and it’s not a shade I usually wear. Plus, he knows I have OCD.” The lawyer told me to be careful not to give myself away, then suggested three steps plus one additional recommendation. “Step one, gather evidence of his infidelity!” “Step two, based on the evidence, apply to the court for asset preservation!” “You don’t need to provide a comprehensive list of assets, just enough leads. Once you apply, the court can take measures to preserve the assets.” “Step three, file for divorce, request dissolution of the marriage. The judge will decide how to divide marital property based on the evidence!” Additional recommendation: “If Lucas bought any high-value items for his mistress during the marriage, like a house or car, that’s considered misappropriation of marital assets. We can legally reclaim those.” The second thing: “I hired a private investigator to gather evidence of Lucas’s affair.” This person, politely called a ‘private investigator’ but less politely a ‘paparazzo’, often helps dig up celebrity gossip too. My requirements were: “A, I want to know who the other woman is and how long it’s been going on!” “B, Dating photos that prove their relationship, like kissing or entering a hotel!” “C, I want to know if Lucas has given her any expensive gifts, like a house or car.” The investigator agreed immediately, though his fee wasn’t cheap. The private investigator’s efficiency put soap opera plotlines to shame. Those TV heroines who spend ages trying to catch the other woman should just hire a PI without hesitation. Four days after I hired him, he had already identified the mistress. Someone familiar. Her name was Mia, a small-town girl who’d made it big. During college, she interned at my practice in her senior year, then worked there for another six months after graduation. I even wrote her a recommendation letter for her next job… Who would have thought? The farmer and the snake! I almost laughed. Two weeks ago, at an industry gathering, the person who clinked glasses with me and casually asked how I’d handle it if my husband cheated – that was her. It was a subtle declaration of war. I’m sure Lucas sensed her intentions too, which is why he never suspected me when I planted the lipstick in his pocket. “When did they start?” I asked the investigator. “Not sure yet, but they’ve been living together for 2 years. Here’s their address…” I looked at the address on the note. It was in a complex not far from the university, also close to Mia’s workplace. Convenient for both of them. “Did they buy or rent?” “Bought. It’s in Mia’s name.” I didn’t need to ask who paid for it. Mia had just a bachelor’s degree and less than 5 years of work experience. She wasn’t well-known in the field yet, with a monthly salary of just over $1,000. In her hometown, being a college graduate was a big deal. The whole village would pitch in to help. Plus, she had a good-for-nothing brother who always needed support… But that complex, even at prices from three years ago, would cost at least $200,000 for an 800 sq ft apartment! I sighed. Lucas was usually so stingy, refusing to buy me a $5,000 handbag. Who knew he’d easily shell out over $200,000 for his mistress’s apartment! “Don’t be too heartbroken, sis!” the investigator said. “Men are all the same, thinking with their lower half.” Though male himself, he had no qualms about criticizing his gender: “That woman isn’t as pretty as you. Your husband just got bored and wanted some excitement.” I smiled faintly. Lucas’s attraction to Mia was partly about ‘boredom and excitement’, but more about psychological needs. They both grew up in small towns, fighting hard to make it in the big city. There was a sense of shared destiny. Lucas saw a bit of himself in Mia. Lucas and I came from very different backgrounds. As he once said, he struggled for 20 years just to have the chance to drink coffee with me at Starbucks. Between us, even though he now held a high social status, there was still an underlying inferiority complex. Whenever we went to upscale places, he’d unconsciously show timidity, observing others first. But with Mia, given his absolute advantage in economic and social status, he must feel more relaxed and get a bigger ego boost. Plus, in their hometown, there’s a backward view that a man’s success isn’t just about how much he earns or achieves, but also how many women he can get. We discussed this topic when we were in college, and Lucas vehemently criticized it. Unfortunately, ideas ingrained over years aren’t easily erased by having the right values. As for Mia, I won’t speculate whether her feelings for Lucas were genuine. In the adult world, it’s often just about mutual benefit. When Mia interned with me, she repeatedly expressed envy for my background, career, and marriage. So from my perspective, being with Lucas gave her material support. Emotionally, she probably felt she had finally surpassed me. “Sis, here are their photos. This is all I’ve got so far,” the investigator handed me several pictures. “Do you want to go to court now, or wait a few more days?” Looking at the photos of them coming and going together, I felt a mix of emotions. Once upon a time promises couldn’t withstand the test of time. “Sis, Christmas is coming up in a few days,” the investigator said, carefully gauging my expression. “Do you want to think it over?” “In my line of work, I’ve seen a lot of dirty business. To be honest, I’ve never met a man who hasn’t strayed at least once,” the investigator said. For a moment, I wavered, but finally just said, “Keep a close eye on them for me.” Christmas soon arrived. As usual, Lucas showed up at my practice with a huge bouquet of red roses. As usual, the young staff at the office teased us, casting envious glances, posting in the work chat about being ‘fed dog food’… I left work early, browsed the mall for a while, bought a handbag, then we had Western food. I actually cherished the whole process, knowing it might be our last holiday together. But unexpectedly, before we finished dinner, Lucas got a call saying he had to leave. He said his colleague had a fight with his girlfriend, then got into a physical altercation with her ex-boyfriend. Now they were at the hospital, with police taking statements, and he had to go check on them. I knew most of Lucas’s close colleagues who might call him for something like this. I picked up my coat and said “I’ll come too,” but Lucas stopped me. He told me to enjoy my meal, saying the person involved didn’t want too many people knowing about it. He promised to call me after playing peacemaker. I understood immediately, reminded of those palace dramas on TV: “Those so-called favored concubines always like to flaunt their status in front of the empress. They never know how they end up dead.” “Alright, you go then,” I said, sitting back down. “I’ll finish dinner and head to a bar for a bit.” Lucas smiled at me, leaned down to cup my face, and touched his forehead to mine. His tone was as doting as ever: “Don’t flirt with any young studs.” I made a sound of agreement and played along, teasing, “You never know! If you’re jealous, come back early.” Lucas pinched my nose, then turned and left. Watching his retreating back, I called the private investigator: “Where are you? Lucas just left.” The investigator said he was following Mia, then gave me an address. From where we were eating to where Mia was, even with Christmas traffic, it should take about 40 minutes by car. But an hour passed. The investigator messaged me that Lucas still hadn’t arrived. I almost thought Lucas had a fourth woman, or that there really was a colleague in the hospital. But 20 minutes later, the investigator said Lucas had arrived… That night, I met some friends at a bar. Surrounded by the noisy crowd, my mind was filled with images of those two in bed. At midnight, I returned home. Lucas wasn’t back yet. I walked into the study to turn on the computer. Before I even touched it, I knew why Lucas had taken twice as long to reach Mia after leaving the restaurant. He’d come home first. Someone had used my computer. Everyone has their own computer habits. My left and right eyes have different degrees of nearsightedness, and my right eye has astigmatism. So I keep the computer on the desk at a slight angle. Lucas knew this house too well, so well that he forgot to pay attention to these details. The computer usage history had been cleared. Apart from some cutting-edge academic materials, the most important thing on my computer was the paper I was currently writing, which Mia could directly use. Once published in an academic journal, the paper would be ranked within the industry. I didn’t want to assume the worst intentions of Lucas and Mia, but I had to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Although I had only recently started writing that paper, I had been preparing for it for three full years, analyzing thousands of cases and investing a huge amount of time and energy. “Stealing my academic work is even more despicable than stealing my man!”

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I knelt on the floor, my fingertips touching the cold tiles as I scrubbed at invisible stains. “A blind man, good for nothing but eating,” my mother-in-law’s acidic voice pierced my ears. “Hurry up, you can’t even clean the floor properly. What use are you?” I gripped the rag tightly, enduring it all. “Mom, I’m sorry,” Claire’s voice chimed in, full of impatience. “Why are you bothering with this? We could just hire a maid.” “I don’t like strangers in the house,” my mother-in-law replied coldly. “Besides, James isn’t doing anything else. A little exercise is good for him.” “Whatever you say,” Claire sighed. I heard the sound of her bedroom door closing. The last glimmer of light in my heart extinguished. She hadn’t said a single word in my defense. I felt my way to standing, picking up the bucket of dirty water to empty it. Suddenly, a foot shot out, tripping me hard. There was a loud splash as the icy, foul-smelling water drenched me. I lay sprawled on the floor, utterly humiliated. My mother-in-law stood nearby, her tone mocking: “Useless as always. Can’t even do a simple task.” Claire came out after hearing the commotion but showed no concern for me. I silently crawled to my feet, feeling my way around to clean up the mess. Afterwards, I retreated to the kitchen. As I closed the door, I could clearly hear an argument breaking out. “The company has to be mine. Don’t even think about interfering!” Claire shouted heatedly. “I gave birth to you, raised you. How can the company not include me?” my mother-in-law fired back. “I have my own plans. You’ll get your share,” Claire conceded reluctantly. I numbly picked up a knife, feeling my way around the cutting board. The cold blade sliced my fingertip, drawing blood, but I felt no pain. Claire pushed open the door and took the knife from my hand. “Honey, why are you cooking when you’re sick?” Her voice was suddenly sweet. “Let Mom handle it next time. I want fish for dinner tonight.” Claire gently stroked my hair. I froze, bitterness spreading through me. She hadn’t even noticed my injured hand. “I made your favorite, stir-fried peppers and pork,” I said, my voice shaking. Her hand that had been caressing my face suddenly withdrew. Her tone turned icy. “Who likes that? James, do you not love me anymore? You won’t even make what I want to eat.” Alarm bells went off in my head. I was afraid Claire would stop caring about me because of this. I frantically tried to grab her hand, my arms flailing in the air. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” I couldn’t catch her, so I fell to my knees, begging her not to leave. “You’re acting like a lunatic now.” Claire’s voice was filled with undisguised disgust. I knelt on the floor, listening to her departing footsteps. Suddenly I remembered how she used to snuggle in my arms, saying happily: “James, you have to make me stir-fried peppers and pork for the rest of our lives.” I wished so badly that I could regain my sight right now. Then Claire wouldn’t despise me anymore. At dinnertime, Claire’s family was gathered happily in the living room. They seemed to be expecting dinner guests tonight. But none of this had anything to do with me. I huddled alone in my room, silently eating leftovers. They said a blind man like me would be an embarrassment at the table. A familiar voice that sent chills down my spine suddenly rang out by the door. “Have you started eating? I guess I came at a bad time.” My body instantly stiffened. That fear spread from my core to every inch of me. It was my half-brother, Ethan – my father’s illegitimate son. The cheerful chatter in the living room came to an abrupt halt. Claire jumped to her feet, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. “Ethan! You’re here!” The undisguised joy in her voice was a stark contrast to how she spoke to me. Even my usually critical in-laws’ tones became warm and welcoming. “Ethan’s here, come in and sit down!” It was as if Ethan was the true master of this house. Ethan laughed, “I saw the flowers in the yard and picked one for you.” Those were the jasmine flowers I had planted. Claire said she loved the scent of jasmine. I used to pick them one by one, drying them into tea cakes to brew her favorite floral tea. “Oh, you,” Claire’s voice was coy and flirtatious. “You didn’t have to bring anything.” I stood in the doorway of my room, completely out of place in this home. Claire noticed me and her tone instantly dropped to freezing. “James, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and welcome your brother!” My feet felt nailed to the floor, anger and resentment churning in my chest. I couldn’t accept Claire telling me to welcome the man who had ruined my once-happy life. It was because of Ethan and his mother’s interference that my own mother couldn’t accept the reality. Her heart condition relapsed, and her health deteriorated from then on. Ethan spoke up in false concern, “Claire, don’t be like that. He’s my brother after all, and he’s still unwell. How can I let him wait on me?” “Ethan, you’re too kind,” my mother-in-law immediately chimed in. “A blind man, clumsy as he is, what can he do anyway?” “James, if you don’t go now, I’m really going to be angry,” Claire threatened. My throat tightened as I desperately held back tears. I reminded myself this blindness was only temporary. Afraid of upsetting Claire, I felt my way to the kitchen and grabbed a clean set of dishes. I walked over to Ethan and gently set them down beside him. Ethan looked at me and sneered, “My brother is still so capable.” I was in no mood to respond to him. A familiar scent had caught my attention. It was Claire’s favorite perfume, with its cool, woody notes. But it was coming from Ethan. I whirled towards Claire, grabbing her wrist. “Why does he smell like your perfume?” The room fell deathly silent. “James!” Claire yelled at me. “You’re being paranoid again! Can’t you act normal for once? It’s exhausting being with you!” Ethan sighed, adding fuel to the fire. “Claire, don’t be angry. James has always been like this, prone to overthinking. Now that he’s sick, it’s normal for him to be sensitive and suspicious.” But my instincts told me this wasn’t just my imagination. At the same time, I prayed that I really was overthinking things. Claire, I only wish you wouldn’t choose Ethan. Claire’s voice was full of disgust. “I don’t want to argue with you. There’s an urgent project at work. I need to go on a business trip.” I reached out, trying to grab her, but only grasped air. “Claire…” I was at a loss. It was my blindness that made her despise me so much. I had to win back Claire’s heart, which meant I needed to regain my sight. When she returned from her trip, I wanted to surprise her with a husband who could see again, who was healthy. Claire left on her business trip the next day. I immediately contacted my childhood friend to arrange a corneal transplant. Luckily, my surgery was successful. When the bandages came off, the light stung my eyes and brought tears. My mind was filled with thoughts of how to win Claire back, of the happy life we would have together. But fate had other plans. Before I could fully take in the world around me, my phone buzzed with a message. It was from Ethan: “Too bad you’re blind, little brother. Otherwise you’d be able to see your woman in my bed right now.” A photo was attached to the message. Claire lay on her side in bed, hair disheveled, covered by a sheet that revealed only her shoulder, marked with kiss marks. The implications of the photo were crystal clear. The background was the master bedroom of Ethan’s apartment. That bed – I had gone with Claire to pick it out. She said it was a gift for a friend. My heart ached so badly I could hardly breathe. Just then, my assistant called. “Mr. Song, Mrs. Song has ordered the preparation of CEO appointment documents.” Hearing those words, the world was no longer dark, but my heart felt colder than when I was blind. “I’m coming back now.” I locked myself in my office for five days and nights. The desk was piled high with documents, the floor littered with coffee cups and cigarette butts. On the fifth day, my mother-in-law called. “James! I see you’ve grown too big for your britches. Where the hell have you been?” I hung up without a word. Immediately after, Claire’s number lit up my screen. “James, have you lost your mind? What are you playing at now?” Her voice was shrill and grating. “Oh right, you’re not capable of running the company now. Just transfer all the stocks to me.” “Otherwise don’t even think about coming back to this family!” I replied calmly, “Alright.” My calm demeanor caught her off guard. “What do you mean?” “I’m staying at my friend’s place to clear my head. I won’t be coming back for a while.” On the other end of the line, I could almost hear her sigh of relief. “You… you understand then.” Her tone shifted to one of command. “Since you’re free anyway, Ethan’s been so busy he hasn’t eaten dinner yet. Go bring him something to eat.” I arrived outside the CEO’s office. The door was ajar, and Ethan’s voice drifted out. “Claire, don’t blame James. He’s become sensitive and paranoid since losing his sight.” “Once I take over the company, you won’t have to work so hard anymore.” As I listened to Ethan’s voice, my blood suddenly ran cold. After hitting me, the driver had rolled down his window to make a phone call. It was this very voice. I pushed open the door. Seeing me enter, Ethan didn’t realize I had regained my sight. He smirked provocatively, wrapping his arm around Claire’s waist and kissing her shamelessly. Claire showed no shame in doing this in front of me. Perhaps they had done this countless times before in my presence. They were so engrossed in their kiss that Ethan only noticed my empty hands when he finally looked up. He released Claire, frowning in displeasure. “Where’s the food?” “James, I’m warning you, stop playing games. Otherwise Claire really will leave you.” I grabbed the glass from the desk and smashed it against his head. Blood trickled down from Ethan’s temple. Claire screamed. Ethan was stunned too, clutching his head and staring at me in disbelief. “You can see?!” “Security! Get this madman out of here!” he shouted towards the door, while shielding Claire behind him. “Claire, you go out first!” Two security guards rushed in. Having not exercised in a long time, I was quickly overpowered. In the chaos, I lunged at Ethan, grabbing a shard of glass and pressing it against his carotid artery. “Nobody move!” The guards froze. Ethan’s face turned ashen. “James, let go of me!” I ignored him, my gaze fixed on Claire who was making a call outside. After a moment, Claire walked up to me and played a video. “James, look at this.” On the screen, my mother with her heart condition was strapped to a bungee jumping platform. “If you let go of Ethan now, I’ll have them stop the machine.” With each rise of the platform, my mother’s face grew paler as she clutched her chest in pain. “Let go. Kneel down.” Claire’s voice was ice cold, devoid of any emotion. A searing pain shot through my chest. I coughed up blood. I released Ethan and fell to my knees. Claire put away her phone with satisfaction and took Ethan’s arm. “Take him away.” I was brought to an auction hall. Claire stood on the stage. “The position of CEO of Song Corporation, starting bid one million dollars.” She smiled, looking down at my disheveled form like I was a dog.

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The night of my engagement, I found my CEO fiancée and her eighteen-year-old assistant on the company rooftop. Seraphina calmly tightened her open, revealing nightgown, kicking a few used condoms into the corner. But before I could even react, Jace clutched his chest, crying that my footsteps had been too loud and scared him, causing his heart condition to flare up. My fiancée ordered her guards to tie me up and hang me upside down from the edge of the roof for two days and two nights. “That’ll teach you for scaring my Jace on purpose! Since we just got engaged, I’ll go easy on you this time, just a small punishment!” Jace then broke into a smile. He pushed Seraphina against the rooftop wall, kissing her wildly right in front of me, until they were breathless and flushed. He only left when he was satisfied. Before he left, he subtly tucked a sharp piece of glass beneath the rope. With each swing, the rope quickly frayed and snapped. I didn’t die from the fall, but my legs were shattered. I was confined to a wheelchair for life. Yet, on the very night I was hospitalized, I saw Jace post a photo on SnapChat. The picture showed ten condoms blown up like balloons. “Sister promised to go unprotected! She says that useless waste is done for, and tonight she wants me to give her a baby!” I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my flesh. Eight years of a relationship, and I never imagined we’d end up like this. I immediately contacted the cutting-edge neuroscience medical team I’d anonymously invested in three years ago. “Add another hundred million to the investment. Fix my legs.”

When Seraphina heard I was going to call the police, she immediately FaceTimed me, demanding answers. “Jace is just a playful kid, a little bit immature. He didn’t mean to cut the rope.” “Look, I’ll apologize for him. Let’s just drop this small matter, okay?” “I promise you, our engagement will continue. Even though you’re a cripple now, with you as my husband, nobody will dare to laugh at you!” I hung up the phone and pounded my numb legs, consumed by grief. We were childhood sweethearts; we’d been together since we were eighteen. I still remember a younger, innocent Seraphina swearing under the sun that she would love me forever, her heart never changing. But it had only been eight years, and her heart had already changed. In her eyes, Jace getting a fright was a major event, but my shattered legs she casually dismissed as “a small matter.” It turned out, love and indifference were starkly obvious. I hired the most professional legal team to gather evidence of Jace’s deliberate harm, then called the police. The lawyers quickly got back to me. Seraphina had ordered all company surveillance footage deleted the moment the incident happened. She had chosen Jace’s side once again. Her protectiveness toward him chilled me to the bone. Seraphina furiously rushed to the hospital, raising her hand and slapping me across the face. She snapped, annoyed: “Dean, you’re calling the police over such a small thing? Didn’t I already apologize for Jace?” “He’s just an eighteen-year-old kid! You’re a whole decade older than him, why are you being so petty with a child?” “Besides, you were the one who scared him first! He has a weak heart and gets easily frightened. I haven’t even tried to blame you, and you’re already turning the tables on me!” She finished speaking and sat by my hospital bed, threatening: “Our engagement just got put on the schedule. You don’t want me to unilaterally cancel it now, do you?” “Your legs are broken, and if you get dumped too, what will happen to your parents? They’re already not in the best health; if they hear this double blow of bad news, it could literally break their hearts, and something terrible might happen!” I stared hard into her eyes, unable to believe she would use my parents to threaten me, all for Jace. Five years ago, Seraphina was in a car accident. Both her kidneys were damaged, and she urgently needed a transplant. My entire family got tested for a match, and only my mother was a match. Despite her age, she immediately decided to donate a kidney to Seraphina, which is why her health has been declining ever since. At the end of the year my mother donated her kidney, Seraphina was being chased by a rival she’d angered. Both our families had just left a restaurant when a masked man with a knife rushed toward Seraphina. Her biological parents instinctively hid, but in that critical moment, my father stepped forward and took a knife for her, puncturing his lung. My parents’ health suffered because they successively saved Seraphina. They genuinely loved her and had long considered her part of our family. But Seraphina was not only ungrateful, she was using them to threaten me into withdrawing the police report. I pulled at the corner of my mouth, a bitter taste filling my heart. “Why? Seraphina, haven’t my family and I been good enough to you?”

Perhaps it was the depth of my disappointment, but my voice was trembling. Seraphina looked as if she’d heard the funniest joke, a disdainful smirk playing on her lips. “I didn’t beg you to be good to me. Wasn’t it all your voluntary effort?” “Besides, it’s not like you didn’t have ulterior motives, right? Wasn’t it because you wanted me to marry into your family and give you an heir?” I lowered my head and chuckled bitterly, unable to utter a single word of rebuttal. A moment later, I slowly spoke. “So, the vows we made when we were eighteen… have you forgotten them all?” A flicker of guilt crossed Seraphina’s eyes, but it vanished in less than a second. She arrogantly lifted her chin, irritated. “Those were childhood vows. Why are you bringing them up now?” “I know you’re resentful, but you don’t need to get lawyers involved, do you?” “Dean, you weren’t this petty before, were you? Why have you become so unreasonable now?” I closed my eyes, not wanting to continue the conversation. Seraphina scoffed. “Don’t forget to withdraw the police report. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee I won’t say things to your parents!” Only after she left did I open my eyes. But the tears, rebellious, streamed out. I buried my face in my hands, letting out cries of anguish. That night, I sent Seraphina a message. “I can withdraw the police report, but our engagement is off. We’re even from now on.” “Cancel the engagement?” Seraphina frowned, demanding, “Dean, what game are you playing now? You love me so much, how could you bear to cancel this engagement?” “Alright, you don’t have to act in front of me! I’ve already promised you that I’ll let you be my husband, and I’m not going back on my word!” Just then, her phone rang. It was the special ringtone she’d set just for Jace. She’d also arranged a special passenger seat for him, a special workstation. Her favoritism for him was everywhere. Jace’s whining voice came through the phone. “Sister, I saw a limited-edition designer couple’s diamond ring. One for each of us! Come pay for it, quick!” “Wait for me, I’m coming right away.” Her reply was swift and decisive. It was clear she truly cared for that eighteen-year-old assistant. I lowered my gaze. The silver ring on my ring finger was still the couple’s ring we had handmade together when we first got together. So many years had passed, the ring was worn and faded, but I still couldn’t bear to take it off. Seraphina’s silver ring, though, had long since disappeared. Chuckling mockingly, I took off the ring on my ring finger and threw it into the trash. It was half a month later when I was discharged from the hospital. As soon as I was wheeled out, I saw Seraphina, waiting impatiently. “I’m pregnant.” My heart seized. Even though I felt I no longer loved her, hearing this news still brought a pang of pain. After she spoke, she ordered someone to take my wheelchair, then had me moved into a black sedan. “Jace hasn’t reached the legal age for marriage, so we can’t get our license yet.” “I’ve already announced to everyone that I’m pregnant with my fiancé’s child. Today, you’re going to marry me. Once the baby is born, we’ll get a divorce.” The car door shut, and we sped towards the marriage registry. I sat in the car, clenching my fists, my knuckles white. “Seraphina, what makes you think I’d be willing to accept this child?” She replied indifferently, “Because it’s your parents’ wish. I’ve already called them, and they agree we should get married immediately.” “Oh, and of course, I told them I was pregnant with *your* child. Don’t spill the beans when you talk to them later.” “Otherwise, if they find out the golden grandchild they’ve waited so many years for isn’t happening, they might be devastated again!” I trembled with rage. She watched me, amused. “You’re getting a child handed to you for free, you should be happy!” “Besides, marrying me has been your wish for years, hasn’t it? You proposed to me so many times before, and I never agreed to get married.” If Seraphina had agreed to marry me before, I would have been ecstatic. But now, I just felt a wave of nausea. I couldn’t hold back and dry-heaved a few times in the car. Seraphina immediately covered her nose and mouth in disgust, scornfully saying, “If you’re going to throw up, get out and do it! Don’t you dare stain my car!” “This car is Jace’s favorite! I promised to give it to him once he gets his driver’s license!” Those words were like a dagger stabbing into my heart. Eight years together, and the gifts Seraphina had given me were always random souvenirs. But for Jace, she was so thoughtful and generous. In that moment, I decided I would stop deceiving myself. I let go of that eight-year relationship. Three years ago, I had secretly invested in an international medical team. Now, I took out my phone and sent a message to the team leader: “Add another hundred million to the investment. Fix my legs.” The reply came quickly: “Understood.”

The car soon arrived at the marriage registry. Seraphina ordered someone to push me to the marriage registration counter inside. She had even pre-booked the VIP channel. As soon as I was at the counter, she forced me to sign. I picked up the documents to be signed and tore them into pieces, just like our relationship, which had reached its end. “Seraphina, if you try to force me to sign, I’ll have no choice but to call the police.” Seraphina’s expression immediately turned cold. She yelled at me, “If you don’t sign, what about the baby in my belly? Do you want him to be born a bastard?” “I don’t care. You’ll sign today, whether you want to or not! Otherwise, I’ll jump from this rooftop, and it’ll be two lives lost!” This wasn’t the first time Seraphina had threatened me with suicide. In the past, whenever she pulled that stunt, I’d immediately give in to all her demands. But this time, I wouldn’t bow down to her. I looked at her coldly, calmly saying, “Your life or death has nothing to do with me. Either way, I won’t sign this.” The staff at the counter, hearing this, realized I was unwilling to register the marriage. They loudly declared, “According to Article 9, Section 2 of the Marriage Law, if both parties are not fully willing, the marriage registration authority shall not register the marriage.” “Marriage is not a game. You two should go back, discuss it thoroughly, and then come again!” I grabbed my ID back and pushed my wheelchair out. But just as I reached the lobby entrance, my wheelchair was knocked over by someone rushing in. I toppled over with the wheelchair, crashing into the glass door. A sharp pain shot through my head, and a warm liquid trickled down. I lay on the ground, unable to get up, the pain in my head making me dizzy. The person who had bumped into me rushed into Seraphina’s arms, their voice tearful. “Sister, are you going to abandon me? I don’t want you to marry anyone else. Can’t you wait for me for two more years?” Seraphina’s eyes also reddened. She hugged him tenderly, comforting him, “Okay, okay, don’t cry. I’ll wait for you.” Jace turned his head, looking at me lying on the ground, showing no intention of helping me up, nor a word of apology. “Why are you trying to steal my sister from me? You know she’s already pregnant with my child! Why are you trying to break up our family of three?” “I know you’re forcing Sister to marry you! Even if your legs are broken, you shouldn’t use Sister’s entire life to compensate for yours!” “I’d rather go to jail than let Sister marry someone like you. Go tell the police that I’m the one who hurt your legs. I’m willing to take full responsibility!” His tearful accusations immediately drew the attention of the surrounding crowd. These people stared at me with contempt, unable to resist cursing out loud. “I can’t believe a cripple like him has such a wicked mind, deliberately breaking up someone else’s family!” “Using his disability to emotionally blackmail a pregnant woman and forcing her to marry him, how shameless!” Everyone around pointed fingers at me. Jace looked at me triumphantly, a victorious smile on his lips. The two of them walked past, arm in arm, intimately, like a newlywed couple who had just registered their marriage. I endured the intense pain, lying on the ground, lowering my head, not wanting anyone to see my pathetic state. It wasn’t until a staff member noticed me that they helped me up and put me in a taxi. This incident still reached my parents’ ears. Jace had come prepared. The people who mocked me at the marriage registry were all hired by him. He’d also had someone secretly film a video and post it online, causing me to be cyberbullied. My parents brought me home, caressing my numb legs, tears streaming down their faces. “I can’t believe Seraphina could be so heartless! Dean, don’t worry, your dad and I will go abroad with you to treat your legs. You’ll definitely get better!” “As for that ungrateful snake Seraphina, ever since she started her company, your dad and I have been quietly cleaning up her messes behind the scenes.” “Since she’s the one who acted so heartlessly, it’s about time we settle accounts with her properly!” Three days later, my parents and I boarded a flight to another country. As soon as we landed, Seraphina frantically called. I answered the phone, my voice impatient. “Is there something you need?” Seraphina’s voice was anxious. She kept asking,

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I was in the midst of fighting for our company’s overseas expansion when my husband volunteered to take my autistic brother out for some fresh air. Worried, I decided to check on them at the secluded forest resort Lucas had mentioned. Upon arrival, I discovered that all the familiar staff assigned to care for my brother had been replaced by strangers. In a panic, I learned that my brother was being held captive deep in the primeval forest. When I finally reached him, Henry was barely clothed and covered in wounds, surrounded by poisonous insects and wild animals. The brother we had so carefully protected was left to die in the dense jungle by these people. Remembering my husband’s sinister expression when he heard that the company shares would be transferred to my brother’s name, a chill ran through my heart. How dare he lay hands on my family? He must have a death wish. … While I was away on a business trip for the company’s overseas operations, my husband Lucas called to say he wanted to take my brother out for some fresh air. My brother Henry suffers from severe autism. Lucas suggested that exposure to nature might help, so he wanted to take him to a secluded forest resort to try it out. I was pleased that Lucas was considering my brother’s condition and readily agreed. But Henry has always been extremely dependent on familiar environments and people. I couldn’t help but worry, constantly concerned that others wouldn’t be able to care for him properly. So a few days later, when my work reached a stopping point, I immediately boarded a private jet to the secluded forest resort. After all, I hadn’t inspected this resort invested in by our family yet. It would be good to take a break there as well. When the resort manager saw me arrive, he immediately came over with a smile: “Miss Yates? What brings you here so suddenly?” “I’m here to see my husband and brother,” I replied casually, though an uneasy feeling was growing in my heart. The smile on the manager’s face suddenly froze: “Well, you see, Miss Yates, Mr. Martin has arranged a very cutting-edge immersive nature therapy for Mr. Henry. The treatment process can’t be disturbed by any outside interference, so… why don’t I arrange a meeting for tomorrow?” What nature therapy? Lucas hadn’t mentioned anything like that to me. I frowned and looked around. The resort was very quiet and the scenery was beautiful, but something felt off. In this huge resort, there was only this slick manager in front of me and a few unfriendly-looking unfamiliar security guards in the distance. The trusted staff and medical team originally responsible for taking care of my brother were nowhere to be seen. “Where are my people?” My voice turned cold. The manager wiped his sweat, his eyes shifty. “Mr. Martin said they weren’t professional enough and their ideas were outdated, so… he sent them back.” The team members responsible for my brother’s care were all top experts headhunted from around the world at great expense. How could they be unprofessional? My unease grew stronger. My instincts told me that something was definitely being hidden from me. Asking this man in front of me was clearly useless, so I pretended to nod: “Alright, I’m tired too. Why don’t you arrange a room for me first, and I’ll see them tomorrow.” Hearing me say this, the manager visibly relaxed and showed me to a room. After dismissing everyone, I made an excuse about taking a walk and quietly went outside the resort. A few tanned locals were squatting in the shade, chatting idly. “Those new city folks are so cruel. How can anyone survive in that forest?” “It’s such a sin a sin, tying up that poor young man in the Devil’s Grove.” “Devil’s Grove… that place is full of dangerous beasts at night. Someone could easily die there!” My blood seemed to freeze instantly. The unease in my heart was almost overwhelming. I walked over quickly, pulling out a wad of cash and slapping it down in front of one of the locals. “Take me to Devil’s Grove.” The guide was startled by the money in my hand and the expression on my face. He hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded. We plunged into the depths of the primeval forest that the locals considered forbidden territory. After walking for who knows how long, he stopped and pointed to a huge, vine-covered ancient banyan tree in the distance. “That’s… the place.” I pushed aside the last giant fern blocking our path. The sight before me made me feel like I’d fallen into an icy pit. My brother was tightly bound to the giant banyan tree known as “Devil’s Grove” with a coarse hemp rope. His shirt was torn to shreds, barely covering his body. His once fair and delicate skin was covered in scratches and swollen bumps from insect bites. Some areas had even started to fester and rot, a horrific sight. His eyes were unfocused and dull. When I rushed over, he didn’t even recognize me at first.

“Henry!” I scrambled over on all fours to untie those damned ropes from his body. The hemp ropes had cut deep into his flesh, leaving dark red, almost black, bloody marks. I couldn’t bear to imagine how long he had been tied up in this terrifying place. As soon as the ropes were undone, he collapsed into my arms. He looked at me helplessly, his eyes full of uncontrollable anxiety and fear, but unable to speak. He whimpered weakly, tears falling in large drops. I held him tightly, my heart aching unbearably. After comforting him for a while, I lifted my brother onto my back, desperate to leave this green hell immediately. When we finally made it back to the resort, I found it completely deserted. Thinking of that lying manager, I wanted nothing more than to tear him to pieces. But the most important thing now was to treat Henry’s wounds. I would settle this score later, without fail. Under the remote guidance of a doctor, I treated my brother’s wounds and then soothed him to sleep. Watching his haggard little face finally calm down, my heart settled back a bit. But soon, an overwhelming tidal wave of fury swept through my entire body. My brother had been tortured like this, and Lucas couldn’t be innocent. He had promised to take good care of Henry, so why had he allowed this to happen? If it was his responsibility, I wouldn’t let him off easy either. I walked out of the room, determined to find him and demand an explanation no matter what. Not paying attention, I almost collided head-on with an impeccably made-up woman. It was Charlotte Chen, Lucas’s personal secretary. I had long heard rumors about her and Lucas. But Lucas always explained things away perfectly, and I chose to believe him every time. Charlotte looked shocked to see me, but quickly changed to undisguised provocation. “Samantha? You really are like a ghost that won’t stay away. I can’t believe you found your way here.” She looked me up and down. “Well, that saves me the trouble of having to send someone to notify you.” As she spoke, she gently stroked her still-flat belly, a victorious smile on her face. “I’m pregnant with Lucas’s child.” “You barren hen, don’t think you can hold onto the title of Mrs. Martin any longer.” Looking at her arrogant face, I felt nothing but disgust. To spare Lucas’s ego, I had never revealed my true identity in any public setting. I helped him register the company, using all of the Yates family’s connections and resources to pave a smooth road for him. But in the eyes of his employees, I was just an ordinary housewife who had married into a wealthy family. “Was it you who did this to my brother?” My voice was ice cold. Charlotte snorted with laughter, crossing her arms over her chest. “We just let the idiot get close to nature. What’s the big deal?” “Aren’t you just upset that you can’t have children yourself, so you want to trick the Martin family’s fortune away for that fool brother of yours?” “Too bad, now that I’m pregnant, your little scheme is going to fall apart!” I glared at her, struggling to contain my anger. “Say one more word, and I swear I’ll tear that lying mouth of yours to shreds!” She seemed startled by my expression for a moment. “Lucas was right, you really are a complete sister-obsessed lunatic!” I almost laughed from anger. So that husband who was so caring and gentle to my face had shamelessly fabricated this image of himself as the real CEO. And my beloved brother had become a so-called tool for coveting Lucas Martin’s pathetic fortune. Which of Lucas’s possessions wasn’t obtained through me? “Take me to Lucas right now! I’m tired of wasting words with you.” A flash of undisguised viciousness passed through her eyes. “You think seeing him will change anything? Get it through your head, you’re the cast-off shoe about to be abandoned now.” “If I were you, I’d go enjoy nature with your precious brother.” Her shameless and vicious words made me laugh out loud from anger. “You may have been mistaken about one thing from the very beginning. Everything Lucas has, I gave him.” “The one who’s going to be abandoned is him.” “I am the sole legal heir to Yates Corporation in the city.” Charlotte’s expression became complicated as she looked at me suspiciously. “You’re talking nonsense. You must be upset about me being pregnant and lashing out!” I looked contemptuously at her slightly bulging belly. “What you’re carrying is nothing but a worthless dog’s spawn.”

Charlotte was stunned for a good ten seconds. Then she dramatically clutched her stomach and burst out laughing. “Hahaha! Samantha, have you gone mad from the shock?” The security guards behind her joined in the raucous laughter. “The boss warned us that his ex-wife had some mental problems, severe delusions.” “Yeah, she played the CEO’s wife for a few years and now really thinks she’s the daughter of a billionaire? Talk about getting too into character!” “I think she’s watched too many TV dramas and her brain’s fried!” The mockery and ridicule of the crowd washed over me like a tidal wave. The smug look on Charlotte’s face grew even stronger, as if my “crazy talk” further proved her victory and my pitiful state. She seemed to have gained tremendous confidence and gave a signal with her eyes. Those burly security guards immediately understood and barged into the room behind me. Henry, who had just fallen asleep under the effects of a sedative, was roughly dragged out of bed. “Don’t hit me, don’t hit me, I don’t want to go to the forest!” My brother struggled and cried out in terror at this sudden turn of events. I stumbled, trying to stand up, but was forcefully held down by someone nearby. Charlotte walked over leisurely and gently patted Henry’s pale little face. “Poor little fool, don’t be afraid.” Her voice made my brother’s fear instantly reach its peak. “Ahhh!” He screamed and broke free from the security guard’s grip, then began frantically banging his head against the wall and violently punching himself. This was the self-harming behavior he only exhibited when extremely frightened and in pain. “Henry! No!” My heart felt like it was about to shatter. I rushed over without hesitation and held him in my arms. “Don’t be scared, Henry. Don’t be scared. Your sister is here!” I looked at the group of beasts around us with sneering faces, my lips almost bitten through. “I swear, you’ll all regret ever being born into this world!” Charlotte curled her lip in disdain, her eyes full of contempt. “The crazy woman still dares to talk tough.” “Looks like we need to use some special methods on you two lunatic siblings.” She waved her hand elegantly, and several henchmen immediately surrounded us. “I think you just need to be taught a lesson! The boss was too soft-hearted because of your marriage, but I’m not so kind.” “Take them both back to Devil’s Grove.” I angrily tried to resist but was firmly pinned down by two tall security guards, unable to move. Charlotte personally searched out my phone, playing with it smugly in her hand. “Let’s see who can save you this time.” My brother and I were dragged out of the resort. Just as I was at my wit’s end, a piercing screech of brakes rang out. A black SUV stopped in front of us. A figure I knew all too well stepped out. It was Robert Zhang. One of the board members of my father’s company, an elder with close ties to our family. “Uncle Robert?” The moment I saw him, it was like seeing a lifeline. Robert Zhang’s face was also filled with shock when he saw me restrained. “Samantha? What’s going on? Why are you here?” Before I could respond, Charlotte immediately went over and linked arms with Robert, whispering in his ear. I stared intently at Robert’s face, watching his expression change from shock to hesitation, and finally to viciousness. The whole process took no more than ten or fifteen seconds. The look in his eyes when he turned back to me no longer held any of the kindness from before, only ice-cold murderous intent. “Do as she says,” he ordered coldly to the security guards who were still hesitating. The guards hesitated a bit. After all, my identity was what it was. They couldn’t help but be somewhat wary. Robert saw through their thoughts and immediately added a strong incentive. “Five million dollars each when it’s done.” “If anything goes wrong, I, Robert Zhang, will take full responsibility.” Where there are great rewards, there will be brave people – and no conscience or scruples left. The last trace of hesitation in their eyes was completely replaced by naked greed. My brother and I were roughly grabbed by the neck and pushed step by step towards the entrance of the primeval forest. My heart sank like a stone, completely numb. Looking up, I saw Lucas impatiently swatting away mosquitoes at the entrance. He glanced at me, clearly already knowing everything, or rather, orchestrating it all. He stared at me with a half-smile, still pretending to be the perfect husband. “Darling, why are you being so disobedient?” His voice was gentle, but it sent chills down my spine. “We only needed your idiot brother to return to nature.” He walked towards me step by step, the smile on his face gradually twisting as he shed all pretense. That handsome face I had kissed countless times was now exceptionally hideous. “Since you’re seeking death, I’m afraid you’ll have to accompany him on his journey.” I stared at him coldly. “Lucas, do you know what you’re doing? Stop this immediately!” He shook his head contemptuously. “Samantha, no one will know what happened here.” “The lives of you and your brother will end with a casually explained accident.” I looked at this beast in human skin before me, my heart turning to ash. I knew he would never let me go. I suppose this outcome was inevitable from the moment he learned that most of the family shares would go to my brother. I looked at my poor brother, my heart filled with sorrow. It was all my fault for not seeing through this scumbag’s true nature sooner. I never imagined my brother would be implicated as well. “Lucas, I’m begging you, let Henry go. He’s just a child! He doesn’t know anything!” “Take my portion, it’s enough for you to live lavishly for the rest of your life.” Lucas burst into hysterical laughter. “Let him go?” “What would I get if I let him go?!” His eyes flashed with extreme malice. “Samantha Yates, why should you get billions handed to you with the snap of a finger?” “I’ve been wagging my tail and begging like a dog, watching how everyone in your Yates family looks at me!” He grabbed my hair roughly. “Now it’s finally my turn. I’m not stupid enough to give up such a good opportunity!” “Once you’re dead, Robert will work with the board to put me in charge. I want it all, dammit!” He pushed me away in disgust. We were taken back into the depths of the primeval forest by the group of security guards. This time, my brother and I were tied together to that eerie Devil’s Grove tree. The hard bark dug painfully into my back. The coarse rope cut into our flesh, bringing searing pain. Looking at the group conspiring nearby, I couldn’t help but shout angrily. “Lucas! How has my family wronged you? Henry trusted you so much, how can you bear to do this?” “I turned you from a penniless nobody into a CEO worth hundreds of millions. Wasn’t that enough?” He viciously cut off my words. “Enough? It will never be enough!” “I’ve been slaving away for your Yates family all these years. I thought I’d at least get a chance to enter Yates Corporation!” “But just because you can’t have children, that old geezer in your family wants to transfer over 50% of the shares to this idiot behind you who doesn’t even know what money is!” He roared, pointing at my trembling brother. “Why?! I refuse to accept this!” Robert Zhang behind him also chimed in ominously. “Mr. Martin is right, Samantha. You can’t blame us.” “The old man’s decision has left the board very disheartened…” “As long as we sacrifice you two siblings, we’ll all have good days ahead!”

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My husband, Jake, was a big-shot stylist in the industry. His clients? All high-spending wealthy women. He’d come home late, shed his clothes, and just crash. But one night, I found a receipt in his jacket pocket. Just one item listed: condoms. The purchase time was 8:16 PM, that very evening. My blood ran cold. Jake and I hadn’t been intimate in ages. So, who exactly was that box for? My name is Natalie. I’m 26 and I work at a bank, primarily in investment and wealth management. My parents were strict educators, so it was a shock when I insisted on marrying Jake, someone whose background and upbringing were so completely different from mine. Jake was effortlessly charming and undeniably handsome—the kind of guy who’d make any woman’s heart flutter with just one glance. At the time, he worked as a stylist at an upscale salon. My office was nearby, and I’d often pop in for a haircut. That’s how we got to know each other. He was witty, humorous, and incredibly composed—nothing like the loud and obnoxious guys I’d known in college. I was utterly captivated, and soon enough, we started dating. When my father found out, he hit the roof. He tore into me, screaming. I cried my eyes out, but my mom, bless her heart, intervened, mediating between us for what felt like forever. In the end, my father reluctantly gave in. I thought being with the man I loved would be like living in a dream, every day sweeter than the last. Instead, after we got married, I was under immense emotional stress. Insomnia, nightmares, hair loss, I looked utterly dreadful. Every time I caught my reflection, it was like staring at a ghost. I’d turn my head to look at Jake, sprawled on the couch, glued to his phone. His shirt would ride up, revealing his defined abs. Compared to him, I felt even more self-conscious. My parents, seeing how much I’d wasted away, were heartbroken. Soon after we married, they dipped into most of their life savings to buy us a house in a prime school district and even gave Jake a chunk of money to further his hairdressing skills. After his advanced training, he really took off. He became the salon’s star stylist and was promoted to creative director. But ever since Jake became a director, he got busier and busier. He was out early and back late; I barely saw him. When he did come home, it was usually late, smelling of liquor and unfamiliar perfume. He wouldn’t even bother to take off his clothes, just crash onto the bed and pass out. That night, Jake didn’t get home until after midnight, just like always. He stumbled onto the bed, still in his jacket, and within moments, his snores filled the room. My heart ached for him. I reached out, gently took his arm, and carefully pulled his jacket off. With a soft shake, a few strands of wine-red, curly hair drifted from his jacket and landed on the floor. I didn’t think much of it; Jake was a hairdresser, after all. He always had different women’s hair on him, I was used to it. I picked up the hair, tossed it into the nearby trash can, and draped his jacket over the back of a chair. Suddenly, a small crumpled piece of paper fell out of his jacket pocket. Curious, I smoothed it open. It was a supermarket receipt. Just one item: condoms. Purchased at 8:16 PM, tonight. I froze. Jake and I hadn’t been intimate in ages. So, who exactly was that box of condoms for? The thought sparked, and doubt took root deep in my heart . I picked up Jake’s jacket again, carefully checking every inch. Finally, on the collar, I spotted a deep, unmistakable lipstick stain. Jake had often told me his job involved a lot of women: the sexy receptionist, young new clients, and chatty female stylists. But of course, his most frequent clients were the high-spending wealthy ones.

From the very first day of our marriage, I chose to trust him. I never questioned his work. But seeing that lipstick stain on his jacket and that box of condoms, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling. My mind started racing, consumed by wild suspicions. The overthinking clearly impacted my work efficiency. I asked my supervisor for a day off and went straight to ‘The Muse’ salon. After marrying Jake, I’d never once been to his workplace. He never invited me to work events, either, so over time, I didn’t know any of his friends or colleagues. After asking around, I finally found The Muse salon. It was on the fifth floor of a mall, taking up a huge space, entirely enclosed by transparent glass. As soon as I stepped off the elevator, I saw The Muse’s prominent sign. Through the glass doors, I spotted a short-haired girl with bright green hair, lounging at the reception desk, practically *melting* into a smile for Jake. Jake flashed a wicked grin. He reached out and lightly brushed her hair with his fingers, and her smile widened even more. Jake’s gaze swept over the short-haired girl’s body, and he reached out again, giving her waist a playful squeeze. She didn’t pull away, instead, she pressed his hand into her waist, rubbing against it. The electricity between them was palpable. I stood there, stunned. *This* was my husband’s normal work environment? My legs felt like concrete; I couldn’t move an inch. Jake leaned in, whispered something into the green-haired girl’s ear, then turned and walked deeper into the salon. I quickly pushed through the doors and followed his direction. I saw him disappear into a VIP room. The green-haired girl looked at me, a flicker of annoyance in her eyes. “Haircut or perm? Do you have a regular stylist?” I shook my head. “No. Just find me anyone.” The green-haired girl yelled inside, “Kevin! Client for you! Come wash her hair.” A slender, somewhat effeminate guy responded, his hair dyed yellow. He smiled at me. “Right this way, beautiful.” I followed him, passing by a mirror. Seeing my own dreadful reflection and hearing him call me “beautiful,” I felt like their profession required a serious lack of conscience. Kevin quickly washed my hair, then led me to a chair near the corner. A white towel was draped over my face. I heard him ask, “So, beautiful, how do you want your hair cut?” “Just… whatever,” I mumbled. Kevin took the towel off, let my hair down, and started cutting. He was quite talkative, chatting idly with me, which was perfect. It gave me a chance to pump him for information. “How did you hear about our salon, beautiful?” he asked. “A friend recommended it. She’s a client of… Tony. I don’t see Tony around, though?” I asked, feigning casualness. Kevin scoffed, a hint of bitterness in his voice. “Oh, *our* Tony? He’s far too busy. Not just anyone can see him. You need to have *this*.” He rubbed his thumb and forefinger together in front of me, clearly indicating money. “Oh?” I couldn’t help but ask, intrigued. “How much are we talking?” Kevin looked at my face, confused, then seeing my serious expression, he dropped his smile. He glanced around, then leaned in close, whispering, “Look, sis, you seem like an honest person. Just don’t get yourself mixed up in this mess.”

It seemed Kevin knew a lot. I looked at his reflection in the mirror and said, “Tell me about him, and I’ll buy a Gold Card here.” Kevin’s eyes instantly lit up. He grinned at me. “Sis, are you also interested in Tony? We have tons of clients who are!” Kevin started talking. “Tony is handsome, charming, and he has the most clients. Not just a lot, but they’re all wealthy women, driving fancy cars!” Kevin continued to chat as he cut my hair. Apparently, Jake only served clients in the VIP section. To get into that room, you had to have spent at least ten thousand dollars at the salon. “That much?” I exclaimed, surprised. Kevin seemed unfazed. He took a strand of my hair, snipped it, and continued, “Our Tony is worth it! Who can blame him for being so skilled?” His tone was dripping with envy. I looked at Kevin. He wasn’t bad-looking himself, and he was younger than Jake. Logically, why wouldn’t those rich women choose him? I asked curiously, “You’re pretty handsome too. Rich women should like your type.” Kevin paused for a moment, then burst into a happy laugh. “Sis, you’re too kind!” He put down his scissors and leaned in close, whispering, “Tony has his own methods. He knows how to make those rich women willingly open their wallets for him.” I looked at him, shaking my head, curious. Kevin sighed, speaking as if he were disappointed in Jake. “It’s pickup artistry, you know? I heard he’s a master at it. No feelings involved. If they’re pretty, he uses them for sex. If they’re rich, he bleeds them dry.” Just then, I heard someone shouting at the entrance, “I *have* to see Tony! I know he’s here! No one else will do!” The girl stood at the reception, hands on her hips, yelling loudly. No one around moved; everyone just kept busy with their work. I was shocked. I pointed at the girl. “Hey, aren’t you going to do something?” Kevin shushed me. “We see this all the time. Someone always comes looking for Tony after a while.” I looked back at the girl. Her face was flushed with anger. No matter how much she yelled, no one paid her any mind. Finally, Chloe, the green-haired receptionist, couldn’t take it anymore and shouted back, “Ma’am, if you really want Tony to style your hair, I can make an appointment for you.” The girl immediately started spewing insults. “Book my ass! You have no idea what my relationship with him is!” She tossed her head and waved her finger. “I’m telling you, we slept together yesterday! What, he just uses women and tosses them aside now?” Kevin snickered when he heard that. But I couldn’t find anything to laugh about. All I could think was: *Jake cheated. My husband cheated.* I sat there, watching the girl scream, unable to process anything. As I sat there in a daze, Jake emerged from the VIP room. The girl, seeing him, instantly changed her demeanor. She scurried over to Jake, calling out sweetly, “Darling, I’ve been looking for you all day! Why did you take so long?” Jake’s face was cold as he stared at her. “This is my workplace. What are you doing, making such a scene?” The girl, who had just been so belligerent, instantly fell silent. She hung her head, standing before Jake, docile as a kitten.

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